Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will leave that up to the public to decide.

This has been a very detailed debate. It is fair to state that if we engage in a more reflective debate at a later date, we can discuss the various issues raised in greater detail. One of the aspects of the budget about which I am most proud - Senator Aideen Hayden referred to this - relates to something on which many of us have been campaigning for many years, namely, the appalling way in which young people, particularly those who offend, are treated. I am delighted - with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs - to be part of the project due to proceed at Oberstown. This is a good development and shows that even in difficult times, the State can do wonderful things, particularly those which should have done many years ago. In fairness, a former Taoiseach, Mr. Charles Haughey, had a flair for bringing forward imaginative proposals in very difficult times. A couple of examples in this regard are the IFSC and certain projects in Temple Bar. We must all be constructive and creative in circumstances where there is very little money available.

I do not wish to revisit matters to which I referred earlier. However, I take Senator David Norris's point that the dilemma we face is that if we had not made savings of ¤24 billion from 2008 up to this year and we were not making additional savings of ¤3.5 billion in the budget for next year, the position of the country and the economy would be significantly worse. We have confirmed to the international community that the country is going to make a comeback on the basis of having stabilised its public finances. I agree with the Senator that we will not extricate ourselves from our current difficulties unless the issues relating to the promissory notes and the national debt are resolved. We are working day and night in this regard.