Dáil debates

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

9:00 am

Photo of John CreganJohn Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)

At the outset it would be wrong of me to say I welcome the Bill because all of us would prefer not to deal with such legislation. We are part of a team with European colleagues and there is a certain responsibility and onus to play our part at a very difficult time for many European countries, with Greece the focus tonight.

One would be forgiven for getting an impression from various commentators both within and outside the House that we are the only country in financial difficulty, although nothing could be further from the truth. We are one country of many throughout Europe and the developed world that has been hit very severely by a recession which has taken its toll. We are not unique in that sense. For the record, Fianna Fáil was not in power in any of the other countries; we were in power here but if there was a recession in Germany, the UK or the US, other governments were in power in those countries.

I am not for a moment arguing that we did not make mistakes because we did, without question. We should always own up to those mistakes and take responsibility for them.

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