David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

The last time money was held in reserve for the people was when the National Pensions Reserve Fund was set up. However, that fund was emptied to pay back speculators and bondholders. Working people in this country got nothing; rather they were saddled with mortgage arrears, while 460,000 are out of work and 150,000 have been forced to emigrate. None of that money was used in their interests. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste can try all they like to go over the heads of trade union leaders, but the Tánaiste has no credibility with working people. Let him go over the heads of trade union leaders. He might appeal to card carrying members of the Labour Party who may be trade union members, but he will not appeal to ordinary working people who are crippled with austerity. They see no plans to create jobs or help those in mortgage distress or lift the domestic economy. They see a treaty that will institutionalise austerity for decades to come and tie the hands of future Governments in seeking to borrow to invest prudently.

Senator Ivana Bacik can shake her head, but the reality is social democratic parties across Europe have opposed the treaty, as has the European Trade Union Confederation. The Labour Party in other European countries opposed parts of the treaty when it was going through the European Parliament but because the Labour Party here feels it has no choice because it is in government, it is asking the people to vote for a bad treaty for working people who know this is bad for them, there will be more austerity measures and that it could potentially bankrupt the country. I hope, therefore, they will vote "No".