Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, to the House. He is a very popular Minister in my part of the country. He was always very supportive of our literary festival in Listowel, long before he ever set foot on the greasy pole, which he appears to be climbing with dexterity.

I listened closely to the contribution of the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, both in the House and on the monitor, but I must have been listening to a different speech from the one Senator Regan heard. I was impressed by the speech, which was sincere, straightforward and self-explanatory.

I do not want to lecture the Opposition, but I welcome the news that a man in the Fine Gael Party, whom I have always held in the highest esteem, Alan Dukes, has been brought back into play, with Ray MacSharry and my neighbour, Dick Spring. I know they will play an important role. Alan Dukes devised the Tallaght strategy at a time when the economic crisis was not as bad as the current one. Even though he did not become Taoiseach, he certainly played a positive role in securing the economy of the State at that time. I would invite Opposition speakers and leaders to take a leaf out of his book. I was horrified at the response the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, received when he asked the people of Ireland to show some patriotism at this time.