Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

At least now it is recognised by all on the other side of the House that there is a serious economic issue. The soft landing has gone and if it was a soft landing it was not what was expected, anticipated or predicted by the Government.

The Opposition was blamed by the Government for the economic state of the country. We have to ponder this because it is serious. In what way was the Opposition to blame? Was it that it did not tell the Government where it was going wrong? However, it did do so, but the Government repeatedly refused to listen. Its Members went along with their heads in the air, or in the sand as the case may be, and did absolutely nothing.

Now we have a situation where all politicians are to blame, including the Ceann Comhairle. This is the Government's way of getting away from its responsibilities for failing to pull the handbrake in time and failing to recognise all the signs that were there. Over the past five or six years, the Government repeated that the fundamentals were right. They were not right and time has shown this to be the case.

I have noticed, and even former taoisigh have spoken about this from time to time, that the Government took advice and sought expert opinion. God knows we have heard much expert opinion over the past 12 or 14 months, most of which was wrong. The important thing about expert opinion is that while all bodies, groups and agencies should call on it, having done so they should then evaluate the basis on which it was formed and come to a conclusion. This is what a Government is for. The Opposition does not do this because it is not in government and cannot do so. It is sad that none of these things was done and we have arrived at this juncture.

It is as simple as this - the Government parties have called on the Opposition to join them in the mudbath they have created. They have asked us to join in to help them out as they are in terrible trouble. They created the mess but to spread the blame they want us all in and we are sure to be splashed. The Government called on the Opposition to share the burden and stated it would disclose all the information after which Opposition Members would know what to do. The Government was not able to give us this information three years ago, a year ago, two years ago or six months ago. It took three years to get to this juncture, when what is now believed to be the full extent of national indebtedness to banks and various other institutions has suddenly emerged. I have no confidence in this and nor should the Ceann Comhairle or anybody else.

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