Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

These are truly shocking figures. With 354,000 unemployed, or an 8% increase since last month, we have never in the history of the State been in such a position. This is truly shocking.

I noticed that in the past ten days the chief executive of Allied Irish Banks apologised to the Irish people for bad loan situations. This morning the chairperson of IL&P apologised for mismanagement and mistakes made in IL&P. The Taoiseach's party has been in Government for 11 years. Does he accept responsibility for any of this, given his term as Minister for Finance and now as Taoiseach? As the Minister for Finance said, this is where the people wanted us to go. The Tánaiste, who is not present, said only last week that the public finances are under control. Some 354,000 people are out of work and €5 billion gross, between spending cuts and increases in taxation, is being sought this year. Does the Taoiseach accept responsibility for any of this or is he prepared to say he is sorry to the Irish people for the Government overseeing obscene wastage of public money on many projects over the years——

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