Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

It is an interesting debate whether we have the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills in here to discuss what cannot be cut and in some respects I agree with Senator Alex White that we need a debate on what we cannot afford not to have. Between the two positions, of what cannot be cut and what we cannot afford not to be cut, is what can we afford as well. Therefore, in any debate we have with any Minister we have to be able to state that while we do not want one particular cut something else can be cut. We cannot object to every cut while at the same time state we have to save money. We cannot be pro the Croke Park agreement and state there cannot be change. It seems to be very easy to fight both sides of a particular fence, depending on what day or hour of the day it is, and a debate that is honest about what we cannot do without-----