Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Like other speakers, I wish to comment on the fact that yet again we are at a defining moment for Irish fisheries. It is important that we send out a strong message on behalf of Irish fishermen that there will be no capitulation. It is important that we tell Spain, France and Portugal to stop plundering and to go away. It is incumbent upon the Government to provide leadership. We need to send a strong message to Europe that we will not allow further raiding of our fisheries.

Today, another fiasco will take place in Dublin Castle. We are the Second Chamber of this Parliament. Eight weeks after the budget and five months after the Minister for Finance discovered there was an economic crisis, the Taoiseach and his Government will go to Dublin Castle. Tomorrow, the Leader will ask us to recess until 27 January. I appeal to the Leader not to do so but to allow us to come back early to discuss the Lisbon treaty and the economic crisis, issues we have not discussed in this House.

I make the point I made yesterday that two months after the budget, neither the Minister for Education and Science nor the Tánaiste has come to this House to discuss the education cuts and rising unemployment. The Leader has not given a satisfactory answer as to why they have not done so. This morning, I challenge the Leader, and ask him man to man, to give me an explanation as to why they will not come to the House. We deserve an answer. More importantly, the children and the people of Ireland deserve an answer.