Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

It all comes down to the money people have in their pockets. I was involved in the election campaign in Dublin South and I have more experience than the Senator will ever obtain. I can talk in clear terms and I am prepared to accept when I am wrong. That is for sure. Having listened to people's views and experienced their anger, I am aware that there is a need for us to reflect on what we have been told. We will do so because that is the nature of our party. Fianna Fáil has been down before. We are down now but we are not out. Let there be no doubt about that. When our backs are to the wall, that is the time at which people can count on us.

Anyone who is aware of the history of my party will be aware that it has received kicks from time to time. That is the nature of democracy. I will reflect on what has happened and on what people are saying. My party will review the programme for Government, based on what it has been told. We will do our best to try to balance the books.

Fine Gael reached rock bottom in 2002. I congratulate it on its comeback, but no one has the right to dictate that there is only one way forward. Fine Gael Members are entitled to put forward their views but they are not entitled to be nasty. That is the bottom line.