Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)

We should not speak out of both sides of our mouths. If Sinn Féin can accept it and live with it in Northern Ireland, it should not be so populist and patronise people by suggesting there is no need for them to take it. They do not have to take it but Sinn Féin is ramming it down the throats of the people they represent and those whom they guide in the North through the power-sharing arrangement.

Reference was made to the real world and the bank loan. I meet a vast number of people who are in negative equity and who have substantial bank loans. I meet business people every day. I hope the new legislation coming from Government with regard to the loan guarantee scheme will help. People come to me with viable business ideas and so on but they cannot get the finance to put them in place. I call on people to bear in mind that this treaty is not perfect but it is one of the terms and conditions that we are getting from our financiers, the financiers of last resort.