Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The feeling was that Europe had one year or more to get its act together. Clearly, the indications, concerns and anxiety about the Spanish economy have exacerbated. That is all the more reason, as the Deputy rightly points out, it is absolutely imperative that citizens of this country make a strong, clear and confident statement by voting "Yes" in the referendum on 31 May. That will send a message of stability and confidence, showing that the people know the direction in which they want to head and make no bones about stating this strongly and clearly.

The Government is considering issues of real concern nationally for discussion on 23 May. Being honest, I do not see that meeting as one at which a range of decisions will be taken. There are different views about the ECB, the EIB, the ESM, the adequacy of firewalls and what Europe must do now to turn its face towards the growth agenda. The discussions taking place between President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel will probably give the Franco-German view of the principle of giving belief to that agenda.

While we have stabilised the public finances, consumer confidence has risen for the fourth or fifth month in a row and clearly there are projects that could be considered, there is also the question of Structural Funds. If Greece has €16 billion in Structural Funds that it cannot spend because of the need for the Greek Government to put up money, there must be an understanding of how we might be able to use some of the Structural Funds not being used, without being seen to take them from an individual country to which they were allocated. Ireland has spent its Structural Funds, although we have a range of projects that could be considered. We can discuss this issue again before the meeting on 23 May. A number of issues are being considered by the Government.

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