Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is codswallop. The Minister knows well that when a troika programme is agreed the measures to which he referred, namely, taxation and spending cuts, have to be voted upon in a social welfare or finance Bill. He knew this well when he was in opposition and it did not stop him and the Taoiseach demanding a vote on the troika bailout programme. The reason was that we know well once the programme is agreed the Minister will say he or she cannot do anything about it because it is in the plan which has been agreed and our hands are tied. The point is to have a debate on the programme. The Minister takes it upon himself to state he and the Government will know what is best to put in the plan. If they are so confident in themselves there is no reason not to allow the plan to be scrutinised, debated and voted upon in the House.

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