Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Two years ago, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance met in Government Buildings and colluded with bankers to introduce a policy for a bank bailout that has proven to be the most catastrophic act in the history of the State. We now have 455,000 on the live register, a deficit of €20 billion, €3 billion or more in cut backs in the budget in a few weeks, a national debt of €87 billion, over 200,000 people losing their jobs in two years, with 2,500 people who face being cut off from their electricity supply. Once again emigrants are heading for foreign shores and there are 200,000 people in negative equity, many of whom have lost their jobs in the last two years. There is no clarity from Government about how this will be sorted out. There is despair, confusion and fear as a result of the uncertainty surrounding Government action.

The Taoiseach is aware the Governor of the Central Bank said that, even with hindsight, the policy adopted by the Government was wrong. The Taoiseach has said on more than one occasion that he accepts responsibility for all his actions in politics. In view of the fact that the policy he has followed has crushed the spirit of many of the people, on this first day back in the Dáil, is he prepared to apologise to the Irish people for his actions, actions that have placed an unprecedented economic burden on their shoulders and those of the next generation?

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