Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I thank the Taoiseach for the reply but it does not get us much further. If we are in a life and death situation as an economy, with all expenditure being reviewed as to whether it is absolutely critical and essential, the allocation of an assistant principal in whole or in part to mind two Independent Deputies is difficult for many ordinary people to justify when it is compared to the cutbacks that schools will experience in September. I would not have quibbled if the Taoiseach when he was Minister for Finance had employed an adviser or two to keep an eye on the banks because we might not be in the mess we are if, during his stewardship of the Department of Finance-----

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