Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Arís, níor thug an Taoiseach freagra soiléir ar an cheist a chur mé air. It is very simple in whatever language we speak. The Taoiseach is paying out billions of euro to bondholders while planning to take money from those who can least afford it, and to increase taxes. The Taoiseach stated in his programme for Government that he would not cut welfare rates or increase taxes but I see it every day in my constituency of Louth, as, I am sure, does every Teachta Dála. I ask him to give us a clear commitment today that he will stop paying these bondholders, that he will put the money into investment in jobs and essential projects and that he will not make the ordinary working people, and the working poor, pay for the elites. The unfairness of this Government, and the Labour section of this Government, is that he is asking the working poor, people on welfare and a range of other citizens who did not cause the crisis, to pay the burden while the Taoiseach pays out their money to these golden circles. He is doing it today but he should not do it.

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