Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The Taoiseach stated in opposition to my demanding the non-payment of the €3.5 billion, which the Minister, Deputy Noonan, stated should not be paid, that we should look at what happened when there was a threat that this might happen in Greece. What happened? The sharks in the financial markets ratcheted up interest rates for Italy and Spain and terrorised the political leaders of Europe who all fell on their faces in front of them. Who runs Europe? Is it a dictatorship of the markets, as the Taoiseach just indicated he cannot make sovereign decisions because he fears unelected unaccountable entities in the financial markets? Is this not what the Taoiseach is stating?

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