Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

The Taoiseach, in his statement, more or less highlighted the fact that the deficit brake and the making of the commitment as binding as possible were very much sought on the Irish side. He was saying there was Irish input. The Minister of State is saying there was no fleshing out of the financial consequences of what we were taking on board and she has implied it was too early to do so. Have we any idea what Ireland will look like in ten years if we make this commitment, bearing in mind the taxes that will be taken from people and the services it will be possible to provide? Was this matter not considered beforehand?

We are told this measure is in conformity with the other treaties of the European Union. This treaty is obviously intergovernmental. How could it possibly conform with other treaties of the Union that have a social component? That social component is completely ignored in favour of an austerity approach that cannot deliver on the social obligations.

The Taoiseach set out on Leaders' Questions that the SMEs will comprise a great deliverer of jobs. We heard from Deputy Ross that there is a decrease in bank lending. That comes as no surprise to any of us because we hear it all the time from people. Was the measure really posited as the Irish approach? Does the Minister of State genuinely believe we are taking all these steps for the SME sector? For the past 12 months, we have been waiting for the rationalisation of the county enterprise boards. We are told continually this is imminent, yet there is nothing but red tape. While the Government is saying it is taking all the steps, I do not see them being taken, and there are many others who do not either. There is an element of codding the European Union by means of what we are doing.

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