Dan Boyle (Green Party)

We are in the midst of our daily economics debate as part of the Order of Business. There are regular requests for the opportunity to speak on economic matters. However, the debate needs to be properly framed. The selective quoting of reports to allow people to maintain their particular argument is not helpful to the wider debate. I welcome the OECD report and the EU report released the previous day which help in forming the wider picture. The OECD report outlines the nature of the fiscal problem we are facing and states it is being dealt with in the only way it can be - in the short and medium term. It will result in difficulties in our public services, a loss of public confidence, as well as public anger and disappointment at how we provide these services. To say it can be done differently over a longer time period does not serve the public interest. The debate we need to have has to be structured in that context. I look forward to next week's debate on the NAMA Bill when we can discuss the wider picture. If the House is to continue to be relevant, it has to maintain this debate and highlight its difficult nature over the next 18 months at least in the most honest context we can.