Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Twomey, Bacik, Boyle, Coghlan, Buttimer, O'Reilly and Regan outlined various concerns regarding the Department of Finance. The undertakings the Government had to deal with and the challenges it faced over the past two and a half years are unprecedented. Looking back on what was achieved, where we are today, and where we were under previous Administrations during downturns in the 1970s and 1980s, 5.7% is pretty high but is nothing like 17.7% when other parties were in office during downturns.