Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I send our best wishes to the Taoiseach and thank him for all he did in the country's interest. I know there will be another time for this but he made a major contribution. I also send best wishes to his wife, Mary, and his family. I acknowledge everything he has done in the most difficult times since the 1930s. The challenges facing the country are immense. Everything has been done in the national interest and has been about putting the country first. The Taoiseach faced the challenge of the banking crisis, a crisis which few other Taoisigh have ever had to face. If we were all being honest, we would agree that the fateful night on which decisions had to be made in order to allow the banks to continue to operate marked the beginning of an unprecedented crisis. It is certainly the most difficult period I can recall since the 1970s and the challenges faced by the then Government and Taoiseach.

Members made inquiries in respect of the Finance Bill. I propose that Second Stage be taken on Friday and that Committee and Remaining Stages be taken on Saturday. The sitting on Saturday will be open-ended. The Seanad will be obliged to undertake major work in respect of the Finance Bill which represents the third instalment of the Government's four year recovery plan. As previous speakers stated, the Finance Bill is always the most important legislation to come before the House. The version of the Bill that will come before the House contains 80 sections.