Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

When does the Minister envisage he will be in a position to tell Members what growth rates he expects for next year? Given his remarks, it is his intention not to tell Members the deficit figure at which he is aiming until budget day? On the figure of €7.5 billion that was projected last year but that now has become €15 billion, I ask him to inform the House what elements make up that €7.5 billion. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, provided Members with a version of its make-up earlier today.

I refer to the sum of €1.5 billion that is the guesstimated cost of the promissory notes to Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide. The Minister will recall that when Members dealt with the NAMA business, he told them that the cost of the bailout of the banks could be ring-fenced off the national accounts. Members are familiar with subsequent developments in respect of EUROSTAT. However, does the Minister envisage any prospect of the sum of €1.5 billion in interest repayments being financed outside of the national accounts?

Finally, does the Minister not think he ought to summon up the courage to send a message to the Franco-German Declaration that, whatever they are contemplating, the last thing this little country wants is to have another referendum on the Lisbon treaty imposed on it.

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