Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

-----and the Government legislative programme will not be prolonged in doing so. When the Finance Bill is concluded, we have indicated that during the course of the spring we will go to the people and put our case. All parties can put their case although many seem to be presuming the outcome. However, on this specific issue, on this controversy which has been created for the purpose of suggesting that I have been involved in some sort of nefarious activity that was wrong and unbecoming of a Taoiseach, I never did anything for anyone, at any time, in any ministerial office I held, for the purpose of undermining the public good, as I saw it. I do not claim to have the monopoly of wisdom in everything I ever did in my life but every decision was motivated for that purpose, as has been the case regarding any other Deputy who held ministerial office - I have never suggested otherwise - yet this charge is daily spoken against me. I do not consider it is necessary and the evidence does not suggest in any way that this should continue.

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