Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

It is true that Fine Gael and Labour Party candidates made all sorts of election promises on which they turned their backs, including those they made about services in Sligo. It is also true that the party which closed down services in Sligo was Fianna Fáil. I will come as quickly as possible to the point I want to make. There is a significant crisis in front-line services, including the appalling withdrawal of special needs assistants in the education sector and the downgrading of 24-hour accident and emergency services in important hospitals right across the State. Last week the Taoiseach stated there was a budget deficit of €99 million in hospital spending. The Government is consistently trying to explain and excuse what is being done in front-line services and the aforementioned deficit. Last week it paid €12 million to senior bondholders with unguaranteed bonds in what was once Anglo Irish Bank. It will pay a further €10 million tomorrow. I cannot believe that on 2 November the Government will pay €703 million to the exact same crowd, seven times the current deficit mentioned. Why is there an unlimited supply of money for senior bondholders with unguaranteed bonds in toxic banks and not enough for front-line services in hospitals across the State?

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