Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

The Government thinks it is a good idea to pay €1.25 billion to unsecured bondholders. It is of the view that it is not a good idea to upset the ECB or the financial markets. However, it appears to be okay to upset people who depend on one-parent family payments, carer's allowance, the fuel allowance and the rent allowance and parents whose children are losing their guidance counsellors. It also seems to be fine to cut the funding for DEIS schools and community employment schemes. Those in government made one argument before the general election and a different one afterwards and they were unable to back up what they had said on both occasions. They gave the impression prior to last year's general election that it would be a good idea not to give money to unsecured bondholders and the people believed them.

On the household charge, in January last year Fine Gael stated:

But the Government's proposal to introduce a steadily–rising, annual, recurring residential property tax on people's homes is unfair for two reasons ...

It will be difficult to pay for asset–rich but income poor households, particularly the elderly and the unemployed.

It will be deeply unfair for a young generation that paid exorbitant amounts of stamp duty and VAT on the purchases on over–valued houses, many of whom now find themselves in negative equity.

There was one story before the election and a different one afterwards. What does power do to people?

At Question Time last week I referred to the continued use of Shannon Airport by American military aeroplanes on their way to Afghanistan. In October 2007 the Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, stated:

The war is wrong and Ireland was wrong to support it through the use of Shannon Airport. The war was wrong on grounds of international law, wrong on grounds of morality and wrong because it degenerated into an assault against the most basic principles of our common humanity.

When I challenged him last week on the fact that the Government had done nothing in respect of the US military continuing to use Shannon Airport, he stated, "There are no plans to change the arrangements for the overflight and landing of US military aircraft, which have been continuously in place under successive Governments for over 50 years." He thinks it is okay for military aeroplanes to land at Shannon Airport and then proceed to Afghanistan in order to drop bombs on people asleep in their beds in the middle of the night.

The difference is standards is incredible. Making one argument when in opposition and arguing the complete opposite when in power is so dishonest. How, in God's name, can anyone expect politicians in this country to have credibility? The people threw the previous Government out on its ear. During the election campaign those opposite stated they would take a stand on various matters, but when they entered office, they did the exact opposite. That is completely unfair to the people who voted for them.

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