Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Tá sé rí-thábhachtach go ndéanfaimís díospóireacht ar an rún seo. Is rún an-thábhachtach é agus tá súil agam go bhfuil na páirtithe os mo chomhair, agus an t-Aire, sásta éisteacht cheart a thabhairt don díospóireacht seo, mar todhchaí na tíre atá i gceist againn. Tá súil agam go mbeidh todhchaí mhaith againn ach má leanann an Rialtas sa treo ina bhfuil sé ag dul beidh sé i bhfad níos deacra orainn agus ar na glúine atá ag teacht. Táim ag impí ar an Rialtas athrú poirt a dhéanamh.

Recently the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, said the economy "will take off like a rocket;" the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton said we were "marching towards recovery," while the Minister of State, Deputy Shane McEntee, said "there are plenty of jobs available". In their concerted efforts to deny reality these Ministers and many others because they are not the only culprits who are living in a dream world would have the public believe it is a lifestyle choice to emigrate. They should speak to the families of the 60,000 or 70,000 people who emigrated last year. They have also said it is a "lifestyle choice" to be on the dole, but they have not talked to the 450,000 on the dole. We even had one Minister say people with Down's syndrome were "wayward". These are not the only insulting comments made by Ministers. I could cite a number of other examples in the past year.

Are the Government benches populated by deluded fools or devious operators? That is the question I will ask at the end of my contribution.

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