Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Jingle bells are ringing in the pockets of people who have no money this Christmas.

As a representative of the Government, the Leader is presiding over a five-week break in the House. I am not playing politics. There are real concerns about three issues, namely, the banks, unemployment and general living conditions among ordinary people. The fourth issue, which was the subject of the committee chaired by Senator Donohoe, is the Lisbon treaty. We adjourned yesterday at 2 o'clock. We could have started our deliberations on the Finance Bill, had the Minister for Education and Science in the House or had a discussion on the Lisbon treaty, but we did not. What does that say about us?