Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Most of these questions are about the December summit so we must agree they are dated although this is nobody's fault. The way they are now grouped is better and I thank the Taoiseach for this and I welcome it. We should continue to examine ways we can get the most benefit from Questions to the Taoiseach. Since the budget was announced in December we have had the deal with the ECB on the promissory note. Prior to the budget we had the June announcement and the Government's claims the objective of separating bank debt from sovereign debt had been put together. Last week, bank debt was converted into sovereign debt which strikes me as being a very big contradiction. What is the status of the Eurogroup's decision of last June given what occurred at the most recent summit? I stated at the time the Taoiseach was overselling the June deal and I made the same point with regard to the recent promissory note arrangement.

On the day the deal was agreed we were told by Government spokespersons it would mean a €1 billion saving. The big question for most citizens is what does this mean to them. SIPTU has called for the money to be invested in a job creation stimulus. Will it be used for job creation or to lessen the burden of austerity? Will the Government be able to do away with the property tax? Will child benefit or carer's allowance be restored? What will happen with regard to the €1 billion which the Taoiseach states has been saved? What progress can be made in the short term given the Taoiseach's claims about the deal? What is the status of last June's decision to separate banking and sovereign debt?

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