Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

We have been promised statements the week we return from the Easter recess on the revised memorandum of understanding. The revised memorandum has not been published and although it is being discussed in Washington, Frankfurt and God knows where else, Members of this House have not had sight of it. Instead we have been drip-fed elements of the discussions the Government has had with the troika.

From the comments from the Minister for public expenditure and reform this morning, it is clear one of those conversations has been about the disposal of State assets. Judging by the Minister's comments this morning, it is clear the Government is now prepared to go down the cul-de-sac of selling State assets in a bid to pay bank and bondholder debts. Is the Government in the course of yet another U-turn, whereby the proceeds of the privatisation programme will not find their way into stimulus and investment in jobs but will, in accordance with the views of the IMF and EU, be used for debt writedown?

When will the revised memorandum of understanding be published? Will Members of this House see it in advance of the debate next week? Can the Tánaiste give any assurance, as the leader of the Labour Party, that he has not bought wholesale into the Fine Gael-led agenda of flogging the family silver to bail out the very wealthy?

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