Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not know what kind of note it would take and I would be over there because it does not treat matters in terms of the reality of our position. I have met the troika on three occasions and its members do not treat us in terms of the reality of our position. The Taoiseach said one thing before the election only two years ago and now he is doing the exact opposite. He is confused, and the troika knows all the Government members are a pushover. That is sad.

What effect will this have on the people struggling to pay their mortgages and those in negative equity? Those are the people who visit the constituency clinics of Government Members on a daily basis. What impact will it have on the homeless, those on social welfare and all the people the Members opposite claim to represent? Will small businesses which cannot get credit be able to go into the bank next Monday and get the credit they were unable to get today or yesterday? No, they will not. There is no change in banking policy. There is no change in terms of getting this economy moving, which the Taoiseach promised to do. It is more austerity on top of austerity and the people cannot and will not accept it. As I said, the grin will be gone off the Members' faces when they go to their constituencies.

I got caught here once clapping for a measure in the Department of Finance.

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