Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

I thank the Taoiseach for his more specific answers to the questions. What did Chancellor Merkel say on the promissory note and what point did the Taoiseach make on it given it is such a huge burden and the €3 billion per year could be invested in the economy? Did she not recognise the utter injustice of that and our case for relief on that question? The Taoiseach did not answer the question on its relationship to the contraction of growth in the European economy. Did either the Taoiseach or the Chancellor acknowledge the growing consensus that austerity is crippling growth in the European economy? It is not improving the situation or improving competitiveness, it is making things worse. Did the Taoiseach discuss the contrasting fate of Iceland with that of the countries that are pursuing the troika agenda?

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