Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

Senator Harris is wrong in one regard in what he said. We are still a sovereign people and, unfortunately, that has a very negative implication today. It is still within our grasp to make matters worse for ourselves than they should be. It is possible to make what is truly disastrous situation for our country a crisis for Europe. That happened yesterday.

I have spoken in this House and within my party on the need for consensus and for this side of the House to facilitate our country getting through this crisis. The actions of the Green Party yesterday have made that so much more difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. Let us be clear as to why. Senator Boyle told the country that his party's partners in Government had misled the country over recent days, and this side of the House is now being asked to trust the same people the Green Party has said it does not trust in securing the country through these stormy and difficult days. That is as deep a difficulty as the country could experience and it does not instil confidence in the people from whom Fianna Fáil is looking for support. It is not acceptable for Members to say we on this side of the House, in genuinely raising concerns about the economic future of the country, are play acting.