Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

The task and mandate given by the people to the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government that has been in place for the past six months was clear and twofold. It was first to sort out the economic mess it has inherited and second to rebuild the country's international reputation. The Government has been in office for six months and I ask people to be fair and objective in this regard. During the last general election campaign, our opponents stated there would be no renegotiation of what was a dreadful deal for Ireland negotiated between the previous Administration and the troika. In a six-month period, the Government has demonstrated to the public that the jobs budget it brought through this House and the small help that gave to the domestic economy - I will not exaggerate it - as well as the difference made with regard to the negotiations at eurozone and ECOFIN levels, has allowed it to reduce the totality of the debt payment by approximately €1 billion per year. Moreover, as the Minister of State, Deputy Creighton, has noted, the loan period has been extended. This has been an enormous achievement by the Government. It also has been helped by circumstances in Greece and people should not overdramatise that.

In this six-month period, however, the enormous reputational damage done to the country by a previous Administration has been healed and more of this is required. A fundamental choice faces this House. A minority of Deputies, such as Deputy Boyd Barrett, believe in a unilateral position that Ireland should renege on its debts, leave the euro, paddle its own canoe and should then face the world regardless of the consequences that may arise from so doing. However, the great majority of Deputies, many of whom are on the Opposition benches, believe the task is to negotiate a better deal, brick by brick and step by step, as a confidence-building measure. The Government has shown over the past six months - this Bill is proof positive in this regard - that the slow, deliberate confidence-building that has come about during this period has delivered real results for this country. I put it to Deputy Boyd Barrett and others that their unilateralist views, their "Ireland on its own" or "Ireland for the Irish" view-----

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