Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I am concluding with this. With so many other voices looking over the work apparently done over the last two days of the past week, these were not good days work in the interest of people who are suffering at the margins of our society and the European Union community. Does the Taoiseach realise that if we do not take this lead, a position that he, the Government and this country can take within the European Union, certainly we cannot depend on some of the other member states to provide the answers? They will not do it. It will need leadership from countries such as ours. Would the Taoiseach not agree that we should be to the fore in demanding the most stringent targets over a ten-year plan with reviews at periodic points along the way to ensure that the targets are being met? Can he give us any hope that he will approach this issue with the robustness and determination that it quite clearly requires?

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