Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Obviously, we would all like if we could do something in regard to retrospection because we all know areas of the country where jobs have been lost. To be fair, as has been pointed out by Senator Leyden, in many cases retrospection would not make any difference because the terms are above the new threshold which has been raised to a more realistic floor, similar to the position with regard to the minimum wage.

The reason I am intervening now is what was said by Senator Ulick Burke and other Fine Gael Senators threw some light on the political discourse of recent months. If there is any spin doctoring, it is on the part of those converting goodwill and sympathy into cast iron commitments and then alleging that those commitments have been broken or that there have been U-turns and so on.