Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

My view is that the talks in Brussels will not conclude tonight because, as the Deputies are aware, French parliamentary elections will take place in June and the party of the French President will campaign on the basis of a jobs and growth agenda and any agreements with colleagues in Europe will be arrived at after the elections. I believe this is how it will play out. I see Deputy Higgins smiling, but he understands politics as well as I do.

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