Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

President McAleese, in opening an extension to the Institute of Technology in Sligo at a cost of €12 million yesterday, said that in the 1960s, because of poverty, a lack of resources and ambition, we had been resigned to mediocrity. Clouds of resignation prevented us from moving forward. She also said the clouds of indignation today could paralyse us. Let us not let that happen. Let us proactively bring proposals forward together. Let us embrace what the Taoiseach has suggested in a positive manner. Never before in the history of the state has the Taoiseach of the day invited Opposition parties to come with their proposals which will be costed by the Department of Finance. If they are worthwhile, we will embrace them in order that all of Irish society can have a sense of ownership of the budgetary framework.