Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

They should tell the people honestly how we will pay for it. All we hear is that we must tax the rich and the developers, that we should not put money into the banks or sell State assets. What do they want to do? They claim to be committed to the people and to assisting in the economic recovery of the country, but the motion before us is an act of folly based on voodoo economics. I listen to them and read their statements, but they are not being honest with the people. Nobody in this House wants to sell off anything or turn a blind eye to the issue before us, but, alas, Sinn Féin does.

In reality the Government will retain the ESB as the amendment states "as a strong, integrated utility". We have learned from the debacle of Eircom and have learned about the importance of energy security. As the Minister stated previously, providing secure energy at a reasonable cost is a challenge the Government will meet. Sinn Féin is not facing up to its responsibility. It cannot be a catchall party. It has learned from being in government in the North that it is not about being all things to all people. It has made decisions there, in our own country for our own people - I am a republican - but it is not being republican down here; it is being populist. It is scaremongering and spreading a message that we can go to Europe and get the money without having to pay for it. That cannot be done as the Greeks are learning this week. The Italians are learning it and the governmentalism of France and Germany must change. I accept that Europe is in difficulty but we as policy makers must be responsible.

What does a sale of a minority stake in the ESB mean? It does not mean what Sinn Féin claims. I am surprised at some Sinn Féin Deputies because I though we had a new generation of politicians and could have a debate on what it means to be Irish within Europe. However, Sinn Féin does not seem to have abandoned its anti-European stance. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, has responsibility for NewERA, which will represent a re-launch of Ireland and getting our economic sovereignty back. The sale of assets as provided for in the programme for Government will allow us to generate revenue and will allow income to come in. More importantly, as the amendment states it will allow for "sustainable investment" leading to jobs, the very mantra of Deputy McDonald when she speaks on the Order of Business every day as she did today. However, the Sinn Féin motion does not create jobs or allow for jobs.

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