Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I welcome this first motion from the Technical Group. I wish them many years of Private Members' motions on that side of the House and congratulate them on bringing this motion to our attention.

I agree with the previous speaker that we need an honest discussion on this issue, not a polemic or a sensationalist or charged motion. We need an honest debate about the choices that face this country because they are stark and real. The Deputy is correct in stating it is about weighing up the options and coming to a fair determination as to what is in our collective interest as a people at this time. Pretending to people there is some magic bullet that will resolve this issue is fundamentally dishonest and part of the gombeen politics-----

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