Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

An Teachta Martin misses the main point. It is not about the incoherence of the Government Ministers. There is much incoherence but that is a given. However, for all the apparent disagreement, the Labour Party and Fine Gael Cabinet is fully in agreement that €500 million should be cut from social welfare payments. At the same time, senior bondholders will be paid. This week another €1.14 billion worth of bonds, formerly held by Irish Nationwide Building Society and Anglo Irish Bank, will be paid. For all the incoherence in the media this morning, the Cabinet will pay over €5.98 billion. That is more than the €500 million it plans to take from citizens who receive social welfare. Tá na ciorcail órga ag obair go han-mhaith agus tá ag éirí níos fearr ag cuid de na daoine, ach is iad na daoine eile atáá iompar. Does the Taoiseach believe it is fair, as the Government plots and conspires among itself, to increase taxes and take money from social welfare recipients while at the same time he is paying over so much money to those golden circles? Will he give a clear commitment now that he will stop doing that because that will sort out all of the problems?

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