Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but I am pointing out why we need to have the debate, because it has been glossed over by the Government Senators. Senator Colm Burke said the Government has to make hard and unpopular decisions. People do not have an issue with hard or unpopular decisions if those decisions are fair and equitable, but the common feeling is that they do not believe the decisions made in the budget are fair and equitable for people on low and squeezed middle incomes.

I am also perturbed by the mixed messages from Senators on the Government side. For that reason it is important to have that debate here, even though such a debate is taking place in the other House. There is all kinds of jumping up and down for the media by Senators from Fine Gael and the Labour Party saying they are angry about this and that and that they want changes to this and that. However, they then come into the House and defend the Government and the budget. One cannot ride two horses at the same time; one must be with the Government or not. It is important that every Fine Gael and Labour Party Senator in the House tells us exactly where they stand on these cuts. If they are opposed to them, they should oppose them. They were elected to this House by the public so they are public representatives, not Government representatives. The public want them to represent it, so why do they not do that?