Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. She does not require senior officials from the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade to brief her on the questions that may arise, which means she is well up on her brief.

I refute the partisan comments she made towards the end of her contribution because the main Opposition party, Fianna Fáil, has been most constructive and helpful on this issue. Only 12 months ago, the then Opposition parties, including Fine Gael, were unhelpful to the Government, which was going through a difficult period with our national problems, by giving the impression to the electorate that it would burn the bondholders. It gave the impression that it would be Labour's way, not Frankfurt's way.