Fiona O'Malley (Independent)

Maybe it is a first for Fianna Fáil but by God, I hope it is the way of the future for Fianna Fáil because it is necessary. If there is one thing we discovered about the 1980s, it was that nobody would say stop to the level of borrowing that was happening. Look what happened to us. For ten years we were crippled. At least this Government is now seizing the situation and doing something about it. It will be tough. Speaker after speaker asked if we realise how tough it is. Nobody takes any pleasure in taking money from people on limited social welfare incomes. It is not done with any sense of delight. However, the reality is we have to curtail our spending because, if we do not, it will add up and all the money we need to spend on social welfare and capital projects would go on interest payments. It is basic economics and maths. That is why it needs to be done.

The Fine Gael party has its new economic guru. However, it is having difficulties internally in that regard and I heard its former leader give out about Deputy George Lee and say he talks a lot of rubbish, to paraphrase his comments.