Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

I am sure the Leader remembers those years well. That was the cause of the problems in our public finances. We will have a doubling of the national debt over two years. We will also exceed by over 100% the 3% borrowing limit against GDP. We will increase inflation, reduce growth and increase unemployment. Does the Leader agree with this assessment of the impact of the budget on the individual and on the general economic level?

I raised a question last week regarding the guarantee scheme. Last week the Government stated that it could not return the guarantee scheme to the Oireachtas for debate because it first had to go to Brussels. Now that it has been agreed by the European Commission, the Government claims it cannot be changed and therefore we cannot have any meaningful debate in the Oireachtas. The Government bypasses the democratic process——