Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

According to those on the other side of the House the European Central Bank is giving the money and we do not have to pay anything back. When the Government Deputies wake up, are they capable of asking themselves simple questions? No one gives money in this world unless they expect it to be paid back. No one gives long-term guarantees unless they expect that there is a decent risk. Proper information should be handed to the public so that the public, in turn, can make a genuine assessment as to the risk with which they are being presented. It will not be those in this Chamber who will pay back this on their own. We will be calling on the people outside who elected us and who sent us here to look after this situation. We should give them the real facts. It is all very well gambling if one is gambling with one's own money, if one can afford it and if the odds are worthwhile. There is no way anyone, including Deputy Peter Power, who is about to speak, who is a good man and knows about odds-----

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