Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

That is what would happen if the Government shied away from its responsibility. The House heard a number of veiled references to the Fianna Fáil Party. As a practising politician, I will accept some blame for what my party did or did not do. That said, we cannot airbrush the fact that my party has been at the centre of building the economy and trying to ensure we are competitive, have a strong domestic economy and good investment in social services, health, education and infrastructure. This cannot be forgotten lightly. If we want to discuss how we should address our current problems, some commentators will have to acknowledge that the Fianna Fáil Party was central to many of Ireland's positive achievements. More important, these achievements were not secured by a political party but by the people. We simply created the environment in which they were secured. People are Ireland's greatest natural asset and one of the few raw material resources on this island.