Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy believes she should run them down, that is her business.

When I say the exit from the bailout programme is important in the sense of reclaiming our sovereignty, I mean that it gives the Government, on behalf of the people, greater flexibility in the things we do. We have signed up to the two pack and the six pack as part of the European process, as other countries have done. That requires them to do the same as we do, namely, run our affairs efficiently and effectively, but it also gives us the opportunity and the flexibility to do far more as a Government in the decisions we make. That is the element of sovereignty that is important.

The Deputy asked when Ireland will see a decision in respect of special status.

I point out to him that one has to go through the process of the ESM and that the banking union and the instruments involved in that must also be addressed. That will take us to the third quarter of 2014. These special circumstances that apply in Ireland have been referred to publicly by a number of European leaders at different times. As I said, the decision of 29 June, referring specifically to the well-performing programme of Ireland, requires those special circumstances to be taken into account. That is what we have to do, prepare for and negotiate and discuss with our European colleagues. The Minister for Finance will lead those discussions.

Let me be clear on this. Some people leave the country by choice for experience, for work, for training, for adventure, to see the world or whatever. Others leave because they feel they have no hope here. They are the ones for whom I feel very sorry because they feel the country has let them down. I would like to think we could provide a better opportunity for those people, in particular.

I spoke to a young electrician in Limerick some time ago. He had been in Canada for four and a half years and came home. I asked him what he heard about Ireland while he was away. He said that if one listened to the international news, one would think one should never go back home because it was a wall of disillusionment. He said he was a trained electrician and had four job offers in the first week he came back here. We need to reflect on the things we do well-----

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