Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, I did not actually say, if I recall correctly, that Ireland was "better off" than Greece but that Ireland is in a "very different place" to Greece. I remind the Deputy that just last week Fitch increased the rating of the country, Bank of Ireland raised over €1 billion on the markets without guarantee, the ESB raised €500 million, Bord Gáis raised €500 million and some of the bond issuances were oversubscribed by over 12 times. I also draw his attention to the sale of the communications spectrum for over €800 million to three major telecommunications companies. While these of themselves do not sort out our problems, they are signs of the confidence of international investors in our country, of which we need more so that jobs begin to flow, money begins to circulate, credit becomes available and people can get back down to business. Deputy Boyd Barrett seems to be suggesting that we should be in the same place as Greece but we are not.

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