Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I could not quite catch the litany of despair the Deputy read out concerning other European leaders. I am not sure whether he was as cocky when he was out there himself as an elected MEP. In any event, I do not share the Deputy's view. This country is a long-time member of the European Union and has been central to the European process since the 1970s. All Irish Governments have contributed well to those debates and Irish citizens have benefited greatly from EU membership. Ireland still benefits greatly as a large percentage of our GDP is export based. Maybe the Deputy does not want that to continue. Markets have an inhuman dimension in that they do not focus on individuals, but look at figures and statistics. From that perspective it is important for political leadership to be able to set down clear decisions from which clarity and decisiveness emerge. That is what happened at the meetings of EU and eurozone leaders, but it was thrown into turmoil and confusion following the announcement that there was to be a referendum sometime in the new year in Greece. I am not taking from the right of the Greek Parliament and people to decide their own affairs but the timescale in between is going to cause much confusion and further turmoil. This country is not capitulating to anybody. Whether the Deputy realises it or not, we unfortunately happen to be in a bailout situation here through the choppy economic waters of which we are making steady progress. Nonetheless we have a very long way to go. I remind the Deputy, as I said to Deputy Stephen Donnelly last week, that when we do get out of this bailout situation we will do so with our reputation intact in respect of our colleagues in Europe. In addition, our integrity will be intact in respect of the European institutions. Moreover, the markets will have a focus on Ireland that is clear on the understanding that this country does not jump around from Billy to Jack, or spivs, as the Deputy mentioned earlier.

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