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

In his contacts and discussions with European Union leaders, what role does the Taoiseach play on the issue of Ireland's debts, as distinct from or complementary to that of the Minister for Finance? Both just now and this morning, the Taoiseach trumpeted as a great breakthrough the fact that the repayment of the bank debts to the troika and to the various programmes will be drawn out over a further period of perhaps 15 years. The Taoiseach trumpeted this as being a great success. Will the Taoiseach explain this to the Irish people? Will he explain that instead of telling the troika that it was unsustainable to continue to pay the debt it insisted was put on the shoulders of the Irish people to salvage its financial system with the savage austerity that it imposes on the people, the Taoiseach turned around and extended the time for repayment in order that it becomes like a war reparation situation, whereby not just the present generation but generations yet unborn will be carrying the debt? Can the Taoiseach justify this please? In respect of the promissory notes and the changes that were made there, Members never heard what will be the total cost to the Irish people over the 40 years or so that this arrangement will spin out. Equally, can the Taoiseach tell me what are the cost implications for what was announced this morning in regard to the total bill the people will pay, whether it is over 12 years, ten years or a further 15 years added on to that?

Second, I have read that for the European Union Presidency, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Gilmore, has stored a virtual lake of a fine French wine, Lynch Bages, at €80 per bottle. The elite of Europe who are coming here to drink that fine wine are the ones who are demanding savage austerity on the Irish people. Would it not be more appropriate perhaps to serve them chilled buttermilk instead of fine expensive wine, which is a further burden on the Irish people and thereby make them practice what they preach a little?

See this speech in context