Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this important issue. I remind Senator O'Malley that Fine Gael proposed and debated a stimulus package in the House last week, but her side of the House voted against it. Deputies Bruton and Burton, the Fine Gael and Labour Party spokespersons, respectively, have been treated shabbily by the Government, which has not listened to or taken on board any of their ideas. It asked for their ideas for consideration and cast them aside. The Government seeks co-operation, but it accepts none.

Senator Feeney mentioned Mr. Peter Sutherland. When this side of the House proposed him as a commissioner, our idea was rejected by the far side. I note that Government Senators do not discuss any other commissioners or what they have said in recent months about the financial situation. Senator Feeney also stated that the expert group from which the Government was receiving advice was the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA. Only a few months ago, however, the Minister for Finance stated he was making his decisions on the expert advice of the regulator and the Governor of the Central Bank. Last December, these experts told the Minister he would have €5 billion more than he has today. Who does one believe?

Given much of what the Minister has done, believing him is difficult. His banking scheme received the full co-operation and support of this side of the House. In both Houses, he stated no money would need to be invested in the banks. Later in this House, he stated he would not nationalise Anglo Irish Bank. He told this to the public and the bank's shareholders, but he nationalised it two weeks later. What are we to believe? The public finds believing anything to be difficult.

In recent years, this country sold its silverware. We got more than £5 billion for Eircom and we sold the TSB and ACC banks and Aer Lingus, but all of the money has gone down the Swanee.