Seanad debates
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Treaty on Stability, Cooperation and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements
2:00 pm
Feargal Quinn (Independent)
I got involved in a European organisation in 2006. When I went to Brussels, Paris and other cities, I found that we were regarded very highly. We had been at the bottom of the pile and had come up to have the highest GDP per capita along with Luxembourg. We had more people employed - with 2 million employed compared with 1 million 15 years earlier. Everybody asked how we did it. We did it by availing of all the facilities given to us. Three years ago, however, we were suddenly disgraced and at the bottom of the pile. People who had previously commented on how wonderful the Irish people were now asked how we had got it so wrong. We did get it wrong. We sought a bailout, received it and we were at the bottom of the pile for the past couple of years. In the past six months, however, when I travel to Europe, and I was in Paris last week, it has been interesting to hear people say: "What good boys you are and how well you are managing to get on top of this again."
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