Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for his indulgence. The Deputy asked about reform. Last week we had a discussion about the forthcoming European Council meeting. The first reform is that we have those discussions before every meeting and after them - we will have a debate next week on the outcome and conclusions of this meeting. As the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, reminded the Deputy, he seems to have a view that there is a machine somewhere and we could run the budget through it to determine whether it is equality-proofed. Budgets in government are about people and obviously the Government has responded to a particular situation that is of great sensitivity to a particular cohort of people and it is only right and proper that we should do that. Nobody here is the ultimate repository of wisdom and correctness. We need to clear up an economic mess to give our people an opportunity to live, work and have careers here.

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