Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

What is the Taoiseach's opinion on the financial markets having moved on and attempting to dictate to the Italian people who should form its Government? Has the Taoiseach seen that they ruthlessly ratcheted up the interest rates on Italy's bonds in order to pressurise Prime Minister Berlusconi and, on the rumour that he was about to resign, the markets dropped the interest rates and then put them up again? Let us leave aside the despicable political entity that is Signor Berlusconi.

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