Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Walsh's call for a debate on the economy and our competitiveness. I, again, make the point that it is an absolute disgrace for a member of a Government party to stand up in the House or elsewhere to say there is a possibility the IMF might come in and take over. This means the Government is telling its people that it considers it a reasonable course of action because matters are so bad for it to hand over responsibility for the governing of the country to another body not elected by them and which would not be accountable to us. We have heard this statement from Ministers and regularly in this House.