Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Sinn Féin Deputies also object to the second proposition on the Order of Business, namely, to guillotine Second Stage of the Finance Bill. It is absolutely unacceptable that such a proposition is put before us in the context of the current grave economic climate and with the measures contained in the Bill in the offing. Bearing in mind that the Ceann Comhairle did not accommodate my objection to the first item on the Order Paper in the context of bank bailouts, it is imperative that there not be a guillotine. We are witnessing yet another aspect of the Government's failure to have a strategy for job retention and creation in that a further 750 jobs are being dumped on the dole heap as a result of a decision by a banking institution, which institution should at least be reflecting some of the alleged changed environment that is supposed to exist. This bank is showing the same attitude that has applied heretofore. It is riding roughshod over, having no regard for and showing no concern for ordinary employees.

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