Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I listened to the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, speak to the motion last night. He inherited a crisis and, as he has stated in the House on numerous occasions and Members and the public are well aware, the country is bankrupt. He has also stated on numerous occasions, including in the Chamber last night, that not one school will close.

I value Private Members' motions, even though I am a member of a Government party, because it is important to hold the Government to account. I am disappointed, however, by the unhelpful and misleading language used in this debate. Do Deputies care about the damage they are doing to the integrity of the country or the sense of crisis and nervousness they are creating in communities?

When I was young my late mother used to say we had to make ends meet as a family. If businesses do not make ends meet, they will close and if the Government, including the Minister for Education and Skills, does not make ends meet, the current crisis will worsen. It did not help that a previous Deputy Healy-Rae held previous Governments to ransom for 14 years and contributed to the mess we are in today.

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