Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We were promised 165,000 jobs in NewERA. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, spoke about "not another cent." Various promises were made on hospitals, Army barracks, Garda stations and health reform. All these promises allowed the Government to obtain its goal - more luck to it, as it secured a massive majority. We suffered a heavy, crushing defeat, which we will take on the chin. Decisions taken by previous Governments were immensely difficult. They were most unpopular but, unfortunately, necessary.

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