Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

Yes. Since some of these questions are likely to arise again, I will try to answer them.

I disagree with Deputy Micheál Martin's suggestion that the 1% commitment to the growth pact is inadequate. Bearing in mind that there was no growth pact one week ago, it is a significant development. I am unsure as to whether the Deputy, like his party's previous leader, has experienced a redirection of his political philosophy or whether he would now call himself a socialist, but I would be surprised if he views growth as meaning simply pumping State money into a job creation plan.

See this speech in context