Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

We have produced a set of policies to get people back to work. We will defend the interests of the weakest and most vulnerable in society. The Minister of State is wrong; we have always put the country first. That was seen with the banks, when Fine Gael put the country first. We did not play party politics with it. This is in contrast to the Government, which never listened and will not take on board suggestions and goes head first into everything. We saw this with NAMA and the VAT increase it had to roll back on.

On matters of the economy and fiscal management, Members on the Government side should come out of their parallel universe and get into the real world with the rest of us. I will not take lectures from former Progressive Democrat or Fianna Fáil Members, under whose period of office the country went to the edge of the abyss. These are the facts. One can talk about the bonds market, credit ratings and any other fancy words but the reality is that the living conditions of our people have deteriorated. In particular, the Government has socked it to the public sector and those who have not benefited from the Celtic tiger. Shamefully, it has plundered the public sector, including ordinary people at the front line of society who are educating, defending, protecting and caring. That is the reality.

This is the fourth budget attempt in 18 months. The Government failed in each of its four budgets to get this right. It has mismanaged it each time. The unemployment register has continued to go up. No document, budget or policy briefing has got it right. The Department of Finance has got it wrong. My apologies, I should have asked to share time with Senator Healy Eames.