Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

In that case, the Taoiseach should have remained to assist the Minister of State in replying to these questions which are on critical issues. In any case, I am sure the Minister of State is close to the thinking and discussions when she is in Brussels. Was there any recognition of the serious economic difficulty facing the eurozone, as referred to yesterday in the OECD report which indicates a contraction in the eurozone economy this year and next? What are the implications in dealing with the debt crisis?

Is there any recognition that the economic policy of austerity has been a massive failure? Apart from the lip-service paid by President Van Rompuy to focusing on investment and job creation, is there anything concrete that would give hope to the 25 million unemployed in the European Union?

While I acknowledge the summit concentrated on the budget of the European Union, was there any discussion of the debt strategy for Ireland, Greece and other countries? Has the Minister of State seen a report today by Mary Ellen Synon, a journalist in the Irish Daily Mail? She quotes from an article in a Portuguese language business newspaper, Jornal de Negócios, that states Mr. Jean-Claude Junker said in the depths of the night, following the Eurogroup Finance Ministers' meeting, that Portugal and Ireland would have similar arrangements put in place for their debt as agreed for Greece.

See this speech in context