Dan Boyle (Green Party)

This must be acknowledged in the first instance. The quality of the reporting, including reporting things as happening that have not happened or predicting things that will happen but that have yet to happen, does little for the quality of the truth that is required to deal with the crisis in which we face ourselves. More importantly, on the issue of governance, if a use must made of the facility to a large degree, for whatever circumstances, this will affect not only the parties in government at present but also whatever parties will find themselves in government in the near future. The governance of our country and our economic sovereignty are the issues at stake. While undoubtedly there have been policy areas that have contributed to our worsening situation, we also are a victim of international politics as regards our membership of the euro currency and how, as Senator O'Toole noted, we are being speculated against as being a link on the chain and the perceived weakest link on the chain at present. It also is true that if such speculators get their way on having their double guarantee at present, they will move on to Portugal and Spain. There is an onus on us, as concerned citizens and public representatives of this country, to protect the country's interests but also to look at how we, collectively in the European Union, will deal with this issue. In recent days, I fear that individual politicians, institutions and even governments have been thinking more of self-interest and national interest than the wider economic situation in which we find ourselves and which we are supposed to share. If we, as a small country, are to be victims of that situation, we should all be concerned about that.

I ask that the debate in this House, including the debate tomorrow on the existing bank guarantee, be conducted in those terms. We wish the Minister for Finance well and hope the Cabinet, when it meets on Thursday next, has an appropriate set of circumstances for our economy and society in which the country can move forward.

We should welcome the release from house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi and wish her well on her journey in her country, leading her people to better and more democratic circumstances. We have talked about the Burmese situation many times and the suffering of that country offers a useful contrast to the challenges we face in this country.