Phil Prendergast (Labour)

It is a shame that the Government's supporters in the Dáil failed to bear this in mind last night when they voted to support a plan that has not turned out as intended. The Minister released the figures at 5 p.m., but by 10 p.m. they were all able to vote in support of them. They did not take much time to think about it. They do not seem to be very concerned about the biggest thing that has ever happened us. As Senator Norris said, it is bigger than 1929. Where is the hue and cry that accompanied the plan to reduce the drink driving limit? Many Deputies reacted to that plan with horror and shock. The belly aching that followed the recent Cabinet reshuffle told us everything we need to know about the priorities of Fianna Fáil backbenchers and their Green Party colleagues. They are willing to destabilise the Government for the sake of jobs for the boys and drinks for incompetent drivers, but when the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance admit to a €22 billion mistake, they do not speak a word in anger. That is what they are telling us today. They keep saying that letting Anglo Irish Bank go to the wall would have cost €70 billion, but that is because they bought it instead of letting it fail.