Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Government's position in this matter is to do everything it can to secure the future of the economy, maintain jobs and help business to grow and prosper in what is the most difficult recession we have seen in this generation or, indeed, for the past two or three generations. That is the purpose of our involvement. We have had no support from Deputy Gilmore's party in respect of any of the issues we have taken on board - that is a matter for his party to take up and articulate.

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