Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom tacaíocht a thabhairt don rún muiníne sa Taoiseach, an Teachta Brian Cowen. Is ceannaire láidir, cumasach é don tír ag an am práinneach trioblóideach seo. Ní chreidim go bhfuil ceannaire d'aon pháirtí sa Teach seo, seachas é féin, in ann tabhairt faoi na fadhbanna eacnamaíochta atá á shárú aige. Tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil na daoine ag dúirt go raibh dóthain á chaitheamh aige nuair a bhí sé ina Aire Airgeadais ag rá anois gur chaith sé iomarca.

It is very important to take account of the points which were made in the report by Professor Honohan and in the report by Mr. Regling and Mr. Watson, in respect of the two major issues that were under consideration in this House prior to the publication of those reports. One of those issues related to the lead-up of the bank guarantee and theories about it. The reports set out very clearly that it was absolutely necessary at the time to introduce the bank guarantees. That is very important. While an element of this debate is historical, going back over a decade or more, there is no doubt but that the concern of the vast majority of people is for the policies that are being adopted by the Government over the next three or four years while the difficulties persist. That element, which was open to an enormous amount of criticism, has been dealt with very comprehensively in the two major reports.

The other element that drew much criticism of the Taoiseach was the decision to ensure that Anglo Irish Bank did not fail. It is very clear from any thorough reading of the reports that the failure of Anglo Irish Bank would have had the most serious ramifications for the Irish banking system. In the context of the information currently available, it is very clear that an immediate wind-up of Anglo Irish Bank would have been disastrous for the Irish banking system and for the economy itself. We sometimes do not spell out what the impact of that failure would have been. It is clear that those who rightly worry about the impact of the financial cutbacks on the poorer sections of society, or indeed on many other people who had made commitments on foot of the kind of incomes that they enjoyed at that time, do not consider what the alternative would have been. Had the bank guarantee scheme not been put in place, the inevitable economic collapse would mean that there would have been no payment for any of these people. Unless we face up to that fact, the parties in the Government will not be able to bring forward the policies and to deliver on them in the manner in which Deputy Cowen has done as Taoiseach.

It is an extraordinary achievement, for someone who is frequently depicted in the media as a man who puts party before country, for the Taoiseach to lead the Government in making what have been shown to be necessary decisions, notwithstanding the fact that they have had a negative impact on people and which he knew would have an impact on the standing of the party. These decisions indicate clearly that the Taoiseach is a man of action, a man of great leadership qualities and a man who can claim quite fairly to have put the country before the party.

There are lessons to learn and there will be a process in the Oireachtas committees and in the commission of inquiry to be set up. An element of this process will examine historical issues and we will argue across the House whether it was better to do what the Government did or spend €40 billion more if we were to do all the things that were touted as desirable by various people on the Opposition benches. Undoubtedly, people will be looking for the kind of leadership that the Taoiseach has produced over the last two or three years and will continue to provide for the next two years.

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