Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Before any of us pass judgment on the deal, there are a number of questions that must be asked. Will this deal reduce the State's liabilities to Anglo Irish Bank? Will the debt heaped on the shoulders of citizens by Fianna Fáil in 2010 and honoured by the Government to the tune of €3.1 billion last year be reduced? Will the deal announced last night by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, have any effect on the State's debt-to-GDP ratio and, in turn, any impact on Ireland's return to the bond markets next year? Will it have any impact on this year's deficit or the Government's plans to suck €3.8 billion from the economy in 2012 and a further €2.25 billion in 2013?

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