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

I know exactly, a Cheann Comhairle, and that is what I am addressing.

The spirit of the Bill, which we support, is about providing information to taxpayers about how Government decisions are made. It is about promoting a debate, as Deputy Murphy mentioned, about the options of Government and Opposition parties.

The people who elected me to speak in this Parliament uninterrupted are concerned about crippling mortgage payments or having to feed their children. This is not the issue of major concern to them. The overwhelming majority of people in the State are worried about finding work or keeping their jobs. They are worried about whether they or their children will have to emigrate, how they will pay the rising costs of gas, electricity and petrol, the rising costs of living and mortgages, and whether they will have enough money in their pockets to meet the bare essentials. People are also angry to see massive payouts to bondholders and in the form of lavish pensions for former bankers and politicians, including many from Deputy Murphy's party, which would not be itemised in the statement he mentioned. They see enormous sums of money poured into banks, including Anglo Irish Bank, and they ask how the Government can find the money for all this but not for special needs assistants for their children or home helps for their grandparents.

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