David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

Yesterday the Minister for Finance made some appalling and distasteful comments about the situation in Greece. He said that the only effect of a departure of Greece from the eurozone would be less feta cheese in Irish shopping baskets. This was a flippant, arrogant remark. We have to be conscious that the people in Greece are suffering and there is great concern about what is happening in that country. Any arrogant or flippant comments coming from very senior politicians in this country sends out entirely the wrong message. What we need to do is put in place policies that will support the people of Greece, support all those people in Europe who are suffering because of austerity and put in place policies in this country which will get people back to work.

Yesterday I raised the issue of the need for this House to play its role in highlighting what we mean by the growth agenda across Europe and in Ireland. I make that call again now. The Government strategy is not supported by the trade unions nor, in my view, by the vast majority of the members of the Labour Party because at their national conference they opposed the selling of State assets. It seems we are going to sell off our family jewels, sell off profitable State-owned companies to make a few short bucks so that we can then pay back our debts and have some money for job creation. What we should be doing is using the money we have in the National Pensions Reserve Fund, leveraging some money from the European Investment Bank and also using money from private pensions to stimulate the Irish economy and get people back to work. We need to have a robust and thorough debate in this House about what we need in Europe and in Ireland to achieve growth, investment and recovery.