John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

However, it was a much poorer place in terms of infrastructure, industry, farming, markets and exports. Regardless of what test one applies, there have been improvements.

It should also be remembered that our European partners stood by us in the current crisis. We can complain about the strings that were attached and we will all wave a very pleasant goodbye to the troika, but we are in a better place now, despite the crisis, than the position we were in three or four years ago. With regard to the banking union and the need to monitor the budgets of member states, perhaps if we had been more closely monitored from 2000 to 2010, we would not be in the current crisis.

In some respects, we should welcome some of that monitoring.

I congratulate the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and all the Ministers who have been active under the Irish Presidency, with the result that Ireland has restored for itself considerable credibility on the international stage.

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