Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to speak on this important legislation, the European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011. It deeply saddens me to see where the country is. Our economic sovereignty is gone and we all want it back. Politicians, bankers and developers have brought us to where we are and it is depressing to see some of them, such as Michael McDowell on television last night, sticking their heads up again and talking about our Constitution and our Presidency while they were the ones, with their free market housing and mad stamp duty policies, who wrecked the country.

See this speech in context