Dan Boyle (Green Party)

My contribution was preceded by precisely this type of negative commentary which ignores a positive indicator of Ireland's present position and where we can get to. We lack that proper debate. I do not believe there was any contribution yesterday in the other House which disabused my party leader of the initiative he has undertaken. The words of the Taoiseach were adequate as an acknowledgement of where we need to go. Too many people are looking at body language and relying on false displays of enthusiasm and emotion to convey where we need to get to from here. If we do not do this as a collective political body and see a general election as being the only alternative, where the main Opposition parties have no common platform and no areas of agreement as to how we should move forward economically, how is this supposed to offer any clarity? That is why we need such a debate in this House.