Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

Senator Joe O'Reilly and others called yesterday for a debate on the World Trade Organisation and asked that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food be invited to this House to explain what precisely is going on, what control the Council has over Commissioner Mandelson and implementation of the mandate given to him in the WTO negotiations.

I join in the call for a debate on the economy, which must be an honest debate. It is evident from what Senator Butler had to say that Fianna Fáil and the Government is in denial about the state of the economy just as it is in denial about corruption in Irish politics and corrupt Fianna Fáil Taoisigh.

In the 1980s, former Taoiseach, Dr. Garret FitzGerald, reduced inflation.