Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to wind up this debate and make some points. Some of the Deputies on the opposite side do not live in reality and I am unsure what planet they are on. Deputy Mary O'Rourke and others have come to the Chamber and claimed that unemployment is going down and that this is great. It is going down because people are getting on boats and aeroplanes and leaving the country. That is the only reason unemployment is going down. They are leaving because this country is not stable either politically or economically. They will only stop leaving and come back when we fix this. This is why we have tabled the motion tonight. We are trying to drive forward that process and to move it along.

The Minister of State does not support a credible Government. People do not want those making up the current Government any more. Surely, they should get the hint from talking and listening to such people. They are not wanted. I realise they are not celebrities but the people still want to get them out of here because they are fed up. We are willing to try to facilitate the process of passing the budget and the finance and social welfare Bills to get them out more quickly. Every day they stay in office is costing the country money, is embarrassing for the country and is damaging our reputation abroad. That is what is wrong.

Let us consider the people in business this week trying to deal with the snow. Anyone involved in a cash business may not have credit facilities from the banks. By the end of this week or next week they will have no money because money is not moving and people cannot come out and spend it. People cannot take a driving lesson or carry out the usual shopping because they cannot move around. This is because this dysfunctional country cannot deal with the snow and because the Members opposite cannot handle Government, including the finances and other aspects.

When I realised the interest rate was 5.8% I was left scratching my head. In fact, it could be higher because the arrangement is market related. I was unable to comprehend how useless the Government was in making such a deal. I am aware of all the blunders and mistakes the Minister for Finance has made. It is not like collecting €200 on a Monopoly board every time he turns a corner; this is costing us billions of euro. This is what we have become used to. The people in the IMF and Europe know how useless the Minister is and the mistakes he has made.

I read pages 22 and 23 of the bailout document. Every Friday, the IMF and the EU expect information on the main Government spending and receipt items. They seek weekly information on the Government's cash position with an indication of sources as well as the number of days covered. Every month they want data on the adherence to budget targets. Every month they want an updated annual plan for the general Government balance showing the transition from the executor balance; this is like a rolling monthly budget. Every week and every month they want to look over the shoulders of the Government. This is because they do not believe the Members opposite can handle Government. In fact, they know as much. The Government is not credible. It is no wonder we are being charged a fortune for the money because they know the Government is not capable of doing it.

The Croke Park agreement has been sitting idle for nine months and no action has been taken. I asked people in the Department of Finance the position in this regard. They shrugged their shoulders. This means the managers are not in place to implement the agreement in the various Departments. I asked the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, what he would do, whether he would bring in new staff to implement the Croke Park agreement, for example, whether budget, financial and human resource experts would be brought in to drive the change. There was a shrug of the shoulders indicating the answer is "No". We will have more of the same. Who will drive the Croke Park agreement? It will not be this Government. We are paying 5.8% because they do not believe the Government.

We need this Government out as soon as possible. Deputies on the opposite side have tried to claim it is irresponsible to try to shove through a finance Bill. This is not the case. After budget day on 7 December some 12 working days remain, not including Saturdays. Most people work on Saturdays and Sundays simply to survive and to get through Christmas. However, the Government will sit for 12 normal working days, not including Saturdays, before Christmas. This is the equivalent of sitting throughout February to pass the finance Bill. This could be done easily between now and Christmas and it is essential because the people need hope. They must know that it is over but this will only happen when the Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen, leads all the Members opposite out the gate once and for all. Only then will the recovery start, will money get moving to businesses again and will people get on with their daily lives.

We meet mothers, fathers and grandparents who are in a panic every day for the future of their children and grandchildren. We meet young people who are filling out forms for college and wonder whether to make changes. These people are trying to make decisions about their lives. Businesses are trying to put together business plans. However, none of these categories of people can make such decisions until they are sure this Government is gone, that the country will be run properly and that they can believe the information the receive rather than the constant spin which is out of date after one day and which does not add up. People must be able to believe in the Government. This is why the Members opposite must accept our motion, move out of here and realise the game is up. The people have had enough of this Government. People want hope. Fine Gael and other parties in Opposition have credible plans based on facts rather than fiction. Fine Gael and the other Opposition parties have credible plans, based on facts not fiction, roadmaps and sectorial plans which will show where jobs will be created to allow people to do courses to match the jobs' requirements. This is better than the Government's wandering around wondering what crisis will be next. The best course for the Government now is to hand over the reins because nobody believes it can get the country out of this crisis.

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