Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

If one considers exactly what the budget will do to families, it will remove any discretionary spending they had and will take away any disposable income they had. The net effect will be that shops, restaurants, public houses and taxi services will close. The day-to-day businesses on which people depend to run their small business and for services will be seriously affected. I call on the Leader for a debate on jobs and the retail sector. We are asking the present generation and generations to come to take over a potential debt of €90 billion in toxic loans and land banks. That is a very dangerous area in which to become involved. There has been no categorisation, assessment or anything like this from the Government and yet we are expected to take it over. We will lumber future generations. That is the reality and the Leader can shake his head all he likes.