David Norris (Independent)

I am explaining why I have proposed that the debate be postponed until after the treaty has been stabilised.

Mr. Romano Prodi said very clearly yesterday that we need eurobonds, that we cannot just provide people with austerity. There must be light at the end of the tunnel and if there is not, there will be a revolt. Either we have the courage in Europe to face the reality or Europe is lost. The Dutch have refused this treaty. They have a triple A rating. There are people in Amsterdam going to soup kitchens. It seems to me to quite an extraordinary thing.

I will end on the following point. Mr. David Begg is the only union person to say that we should sign this. The only reason he gave, which was repeated by the chief economist of ICTU, was that they have a gun to our head. Let me tell the Irish public that if one has a gun to one's head, a contract that is extracted under duress has no legal standing whatever. We should not discuss this farrago of nonsense, this farce, until the situation in Europe becomes clearer.