John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)

We should not have any difficulty admitting that. We should move on from the tired argument at this stage. When we made the tough decisions we were told they were wrong and would not get the country out of trouble. Now we have turned a corner and people are saying we are not doing so badly, we see a return to the old argument that this Government is responsible for the current economic position.

It is important to record that the Greeks obviously misled the European Commission and their colleagues in Europe, telling bare-faced lies. It is okay to argue that it was an election year but we had local elections last year, and our party and coalition partners faced up to very tough decisions prior to the election. Those decisions cost us many good people throughout the country who lost their seats not for their own sins, but the sins of their party in government, which was forced to make tough choices. We did not dodge the issue.

If we are to lay blame at the Taoiseach's door, and many people do, we should note that he has parked the Fianna Fáil Party and organisation, putting the focus instead on the country. He knows we must take tough decisions that will affect the party and have a negative effect that will lead to numerous percentage points being dropped in opinion polls.

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