Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

We cannot risk public money on the back of an assurance by the Minister or anyone else. The Irish taxpayer is being asked to pay more than the value of these loans because the Minister or one of his advisers believes things will be rosy. There is no buyer who goes out and pays over the ante in the marketplace on the basis that things will get much better. There is no sound reason the Irish taxpayer should be paying over the ante either.

There are also those who say to us we should don the green shirt. Now is the time to rally round; let us all put our shoulders to the wheel. People who say we should support proposals whether they are right or wrong are leading us down the wrong route.

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