Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I listened to Deputies Murphy and McDonald. I was going to close my eyes and go to sleep because I thought I was living in Utopia, a land where milk is plentiful, there is gold in the streets, no unemployment and nothing is wrong. However, there is no pot of gold.

Sinn Féin is in government in the North and is making tough decisions on behalf of the people it represents. I am sick of listening to the mantra about people who are suffering, the unemployed and those living in negative equity while no solution is offered. I am living in negative equity. I come from a community of family, friends, neighbours and relations who are unemployed and are in financial distress. They understand the difficulties the country and they are in.

Deputy McDonald spoke about a laissez-faire attitude. The State is intervening and not leaving things the way they are. We have increased the minimum wage and reducing the salaries of the elites. A difference is being made. Deputy Boyd Barrett is correct. The gargantuan salaries paid to those at the top in this country, in particular those in the public sector and the semi-State bodies are appalling and wrong. They should be and are being changed by the Government.

The Taoiseach and his Ministers reduced their salaries on their first day in office. When the Taoiseach was Leader of the Opposition he was the first leader of a political party to take a voluntary pay cut. That is called leadership, understanding and bringing people along. What did Sinn Féin do? It had Members in Westminster and claimed expenses but never turned up.

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