Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

However, I agree that the situation the Government inherited three and a half years ago was unprecedented in terms of the scale of the economic challenge. A total of 250,000 jobs were lost. Virtually every house in the country was in negative equity. There was disillusionment and disappointment and no hope. Emigration and poverty stared many in the face. We have come a long way since that time and we still have quite a distance to travel-----

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