Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

It was interesting to note the contributions of the Ministers, Deputies Rabbitte and Howlin, in which they claimed this motion in support of retaining the ESB in its totality in State ownership was made on a false premise. They tell us repeatedly that there is a new paymaster in town and apparently what the troika wants, the troika gets with no questions asked. As expected, the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, placed the blame for his Government's decision on Fianna Fáil, the European Union, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the tooth fairy. It seems everyone is to blame for the Government's decisions bar the Government itself.

My colleague, Deputy Doherty, was accused of making mischief for highlighting the Labour Party's turnaround on its position on commercial semi-State ownership. The Deputy was simply making statements of fact. In the case of the Labour Party, the lesson is that politics is not simply about talking the talk but also walking the walk.

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