Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

We are living in extraordinary times. People have made extraordinary sacrifices and next week they will be asked to make more in order that the Government can aggregate €5 billion. Given the circumstances, with unemployment at almost 15%, the impending report of an bord snip nua and the overall gravity of the situation, we need to show a particular type of leadership. We need to take extraordinary action as we are not in ordinary times. We must extend our term and our debates. It will be a bold strike and it is not something we want but something we must do. We must remain in touch with a public that is shell-shocked. I met people last night who are in a state of shock from the fear of college fees and a plethora of other expenses. This needs a response from the Oireachtas. I ask the Leader to extend the Seanad term and place the Seanad at the vanguard in dealing with this.

One issue which was raised eruditely by my colleague yesterday and again by Senator Mullen today was that of the rural environment protection scheme. I have one question for the Leader on this. Given that the removal of the scheme will push a large contingent of farmers into the farm assist programme and that 60% of the money comes from Europe while the other 40% is spent in the local economy, is it financially sound, apart from the environmental factors, which the Green Party should be speaking about rather than engaging in nonsense-----