Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Brian Hayes welcomed the announcement of the fruition of the partnership talks. He spoke about high-wire acts. However, it was never laid out that they would succeed. It was quite difficult and I understand there were quite a lot of hiccoughs in its passage. It certainly was not ordained that it would just happen. It was prolonged and difficult.

The Senator is right to state the challenge today is different to that of 1987, when the PNR, the Programme for National Recovery, was agreed. It is correct to state we faced a hugely perilous financial situation in 1987 after the four and a half years of the previous Government.