Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said to Deputy Adams yesterday, we are not going to run away from either reality or our responsibility. That is our duty. In due course, the people will have the opportunity to give their verdict on this Government, as they will in respect of the future of every other Government in due course. What we have tried to do in very difficult circumstances is draft a budget that is focused on getting this country and our people out of the bailout programme. It is also focused on providing opportunity and incentive for people to be able to get employment, go back to work and contribute to their local economy and their country. Deputy Adams does not want that to happen because it is evident in the budget produced by Sinn Féin, which has black holes all over the place, that it would run every entrepreneur and taxpayer earning high salaries out of the country. That is probably what Sinn Féin would like to see.

I have news for Sinn Féin. We will not shirk our responsibility and will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the people in as fair a way as we can. While these decisions are not easy in any circumstances, as I said in answer to a question yesterday, it must have been great fun in the Cabinet room to be able to draft budgets with money it was thought did not have to be paid back. That could be done when billions were sloshing around, so to speak, in the economy and billions were going to waste. Unfortunately, from a political perspective, it is our privilege and duty to deal with the catastrophic consequences of that.

We are almost at the point of exiting the bailout programme. There are brighter days ahead for this country and it is the people who will be responsible for the pragmatic way they have approached this. I do not accept Deputy Adams's argument. It is my duty and privilege to be elected to this chair and office to lead our country and people out of this bailout, get our country back working, restore Ireland's name as a proud country around the world and give our people not just aspirational hope and confidence but also evidence of it in their daily lives. That Sinn Féin has not come up with a constructive suggestion in the past six months speaks for itself.

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