Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

We cannot live beyond our means. The current economic position pales into insignificance in comparison to 1987. Some Senators would not survive if they had to face the 10% cut in funding I had to face as a Minister of State in the Department of Health. Many of us lost our seats subsequently as a result but that is life. Let us be realistic. I hope Fine Gael does not get into Government again but, if it does, I hope its members face up to realities. How many community employment schemes would have been retained if Fine Gael had been able to implement its plans to placate taxi drivers and Eircom shareholders?