Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I thank all Senators who have contributed. It comes at a most appropriate time, with the publication of two reports that strip away any possible defence the Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, could proffer for the actions he took as Minister for Finance. They strip away the defences and expose the damage that has been done to this economy by his actions, the consequences of which every family in the county is feeling today. Everyone is feeling the effects and experiencing the distress, including those who face losing their homes, the 440,000 unemployed and the 6,600 who became unemployed last month. Each of these people are bearing the ill-effects of the decisions he has taken and the reports expose this completely. The damage done by his decisions are being felt in every hospital ward, every classroom, on every road, in every home and even among those abroad who rely on Irish development aid. This is the legacy that the Government Senators are defending. It is indefensible.

The NESC report referred to the damage done. It is a report worth reading. It refers to the damage done by the decisions of Fianna Fáil and the taoisigh referred to tonight, including the Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, and the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern. The report refers to the damage done to a wide range of aspects of Irish life. It refers to the damage to banking, fiscal damage, economic damage, reputational damage and the damage to the social fabric of this country by the decisions taken by these men in the name of the people. That is some legacy that the Government Senators are attempting to defend.

Senator Boyle came here and attempted to defend the indefensible. There is no doubt his lines were directly out of the Fianna Fáil handbook of spin.