Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

I appreciate the Cathaoirleach's help. Herr Pöttering confirmed that there would be no impact on Ireland's corporation tax rate. The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, confirmed this position emphatically when speaking at the National Forum on Europe, as did the chairman of the Referendum Commission. It is important to stop this lie. The other lies propagated will be exposed in this second phase of the treaty. Politics should not be based on lies and we all have a responsibility to expose them.

When will the requested debate on the economy occur? There was a time when we could not discuss it. The outgoing Taoiseach stated that there should be no negativity, pessimism or politically motivated attempts to talk down the economy. Last September, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, stated that the economy's fundamentals were fine. I ask that those who discuss the deteriorating economy during the debate will not be accused of being unpatriotic.