Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I was not going to participate in this debate as I have a few other things to do but a couple of comments that were made enticed me into the Chamber. It needs to be reiterated that the best Minister for Finance the country has had in recent years in terms of economic growth and low inflation was Deputy Quinn. The average rate of inflation during his term as Minister was lower than obtained under his successors. That is not to say that the country has collapsed or anything like it.

As I stated before, the present regime did not create the Celtic tiger but inherited it. It is the first time I have used the awful term "Celtic tiger" in this House and have tried to avoid it. The Government has used its inheritance very badly and that is the subject of our debate. It is not that it created the growth because we all know it did not. It acknowledges this when it gets an occasional grip on reality.