Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I beg to differ. He was the Minister for Finance according to John Horgan. Perhaps I am wrong and I will bow to the Minister's greater knowledge in these matters. However, the truth of the matter is that Seán Lemass recognised the need to abandon failed policies and to confront issues instead of getting stuck in a narrow orthodoxy on fiscal retrenchment. He saw that people must have confidence in the State and its ability to create opportunities. Fine Gael has backed this thinking. Our new era document calls for investment in key infrastructure funded not by the Exchequer, but by using pension reserve funds and private investment capital. This opportunity is not being grasped.

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