John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

——and is looking for leadership from the Irish Government. We are paying penal rates of interest in international markets because we have had a distinct lack of leadership for the past 18 months. It seems it is only now that the gravity of the situation is dawning on the Government.

I urge the Leader, even if we have to extend the business of the House this evening, to have a discussion on what the Government is proposing at 4 p.m. in the other House. If we are to be relevant we should do this. I said last week that the original idea of the Seanad was a form of social partnership, with the vocational panels representing the various interests of the community. We should use the forum of this House to have this debate today.