Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Labour Party and Fine Gael have been trying to distance themselves from each other in recent weeks. They have taken very different approaches to fundamental economic and fiscal issues. Now, when the issues which we must all confront have never been more serious, the very people who are loudest in demanding a change in Government will not say what change their Government would implement. We hear a great deal of general talk or new attacks but the specifics are always missing. When this debate ends, this House and the Government will continue to be faced with a long agenda of work.

The House will agree that our relationship with the European Union is of fundamental concern. Next week the Taoiseach will lead our delegation to the European Council meeting at which formal agreement will be sought for a series of measures which respond to the concerns raised by the people during last year's referendum campaign. We have taken the position that there can be no simple re-run of the defeated proposal. We sought and received agreement from our colleagues in the European Union to a substantive process of working to understand and address the people's concerns. We are in the middle of the final round of discussions and there will be a successful outcome.

With regard to the remarks made by Deputy Costello, I would tell him to stop playing games with Lisbon. We should stop playing political games with it from here on. Using this vote of confidence-----

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