Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I rise in support of the fiscal compact. However, my support is heavy-hearted in some ways. My party is full square behind the treaty. I have no difficulty with the technical rules in the treaty. Those who urge a "No" vote have a duty to answer where they were when the six pack legislation was being debated by the European Parliament and Council and in this Parliament, when they had the opportunity to raise the majority of economic or fiscal items in the treaty.

There was no mention of the six pack by Sinn Féin. There was no mention of the fact that even if the treaty is rejected there are budgetary corrections required under it, which are convoluted and, in some respects, wishy-washy because some of them are subject to agreement with the Commission and do not come into force until we are out of the IMF programme. Sinn Féin and the other people who advocate a "No" vote must get away from this "No" to everything policy. They did not take the opportunity to change these deficit rules when it presented itself-----