Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Caithfidh mé a rá ar dtús go n-aontaím leis an Taoiseach agus leis an Cheann Comhairle faoin rud millteanach a tharla do phobal na Seapáine. Táimid i Sinn Féin ag smaoineamh faoi mhuintir na tíre sin ag an uair millteanach seo. I am very minded that there were two small earthquakes in England recently. One of them was in Cumbria, where Sellafield is located. Perhaps the Taoiseach might want to raise this issue with the British authorities. Our thoughts are with the people of Japan at this dreadful time in their lives.

Like many other Deputies, I have been back to my constituency. I have been hearing - as I am sure all of them have - tales of the misery caused by the universal social charge. The people of County Louth are very oppressed by this tax, all the more so because they are being asked to pay it in order to meet the price of the banking debt. I have read about recent remarks made by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan; he is one of the Finance Ministers, at least. I will read those remarks as I do not want to misquote them: "we are explaining to our European-----

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