John Gilroy (Labour)

I wish I were welcoming the Minister to the House in different circumstances. This is a terrible day for our country, the 90th anniversary of the treaty overshadowed by the first recognition of the real consequences of the economic situation and consequences that will be felt in every household. If we are to take a similar amount of money out of the economy again next year, and the year after, and the year after, the repercussions are truly awful.

The previous Government constantly congratulated itself by saying it was making the hard decisions - but it is not the decisions that are hard - it is the consequences borne by the people that are hard. Therefore, we dare not congratulate ourselves on making these decisions. These decisions are not a matter of pride but of shame, shame over a political system that has let down and broken the trust of the people we serve. We must strive to restore this trust. I could stand here and blame others for the circumstances we are in. Perhaps I should but there is nothing to be gained from this. We need to move on from that game. If we are to ask people to make a huge and terrible sacrifice – a sacrifice that means no less than rescuing our country – we need to ask ourselves something and to be honest. I could try to deflect some of the blame for the decisions we are making but there is nothing to be gained from that either. We can and will take responsibility for our decisions and it is right that we do so. The Opposition will be critical of us and it is right that it be so. That is its job but it must be honest also.

I congratulate and commend Senator Darragh O'Brien on his usual temperate and considered remarks.