Michael Mulcahy (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Opposition cannot have it both ways. It cannot expect the State and the Government to act quickly yet delay and hobble it at every opportunity and in every procedure in the Dáil. That is inconsistent. What has the Opposition proposed? Fine Gael at least supported the bank guarantee but inconsistently does not support the NAMA process. The Labour Party is consistent. It does not support NAMA, nor did it support the bank guarantee. In fact, Deputy Joan Burton, when responding to the budget in 2004 said all the money in the National Pensions Reserve Fund should be used on existing projects.

I strongly commend the Government's actions. I welcome the Minister's speech today. This is a very difficult day but, to echo the famous quote, this is perhaps the end of the beginning.

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