Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Even Senator Leyden. I was never a nurse. In the words of Senator Norris's friend, Oscar Wilde, what is worse than being talked about is not being talked about. Senator Mansergh carved an important monument to himself. He was evenhanded in his approach to Unionists, Nationalists and republicans. Everyone would commend him on his work on the Good Friday Agreement and the peace initiative. Senator Norris's comments were taken lightheartedly. Senator Mansergh would not rise to it.

When we came to power in 1982 after the disastrous short-term Government under Garret FitzGerald, I was Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and Transport. I represented the Government in negotiations with the Heineken organisation in the Netherlands for the sale of Murphy's Brewery in Cork. Inflation ran at more than 18% and it was very difficult to persuade the Heineken corporation to buy Murphy's. The IDA sold the package and it worked out well. Inflation was the major item on the agenda. We decreased inflation to the 2% or so it is at present and the Government can be very proud of that.

This motion associates the Independent Senators with other parties. The motion would have more sincerity if the Senators were on their own. It does not have much credibility being linked with Fine Gael. As far as I can see, it is not linked with the Labour Party. Senator Quinn and his colleagues would have more credibility in their own right rather than being linked to a party which was responsible for the highest inflation ever in this country. Fine Gael cannot deny that. We had to pick up the pieces in 1982, 1987 and 1997.