Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Deputy Pearse Doherty acknowledged yesterday - the Minister for Finance was not here for most of his remarks - that there are positive elements in the Taoiseach's proposals. There are some modest - that is the Minister's description, not mine - common sense small elements to them.

The Taoiseach mentioned County Louth. This initiative has more to do with bringing forward a plan for a town like Dundalk or Drogheda. It is a plan for a town, not one for a State that has half a million citizens unemployed. We have schools and we need improved hospitals, primary care centres and child care facilities. We have the people to build, maintain and staff them but we do not have the money. Why do we not have it?

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