Alex White (Labour)

When he describes economic and budgetary policy, he talks about what is expected of us by the European Commission instead of taking a strong, robust and independent line, as Senator Fitzgerald has said, on job creation and the development of the economy, thereby coming across in a positive way, as the Opposition has, with actual proposals as to how we, as a sovereign Irish Government, could turn around the economy. It is lamentable that he is not doing that, particularly on the day when we have been informed that Ireland has the third highest unemployment rate in the OECD. While it is unlikely that the Leader will be able to arrange it, can we have the Taoiseach come to the House to explain why he has taken such a defeatist and negative attitude on the future of our country?