Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Bacik spoke about this budget lacking ambition. Can I remind her about the 2 million people at work, representing a drop of 7.9% in unemployment from the height at the peak of our economic distress. The ambition is to lift the lives of all our citizens, whether they are working in a factory in Cork, living on the Border in Cavan or Monaghan or out in the heart of Connemara. The aim is to ensure that all people benefit.

It is important, no matter what one's political view, to protect our country, economy and people. As Deputy Michael Noonan said in his speech today, we cannot go back to the old days. We cannot have a "Late Late Show" approach where we give everything away to everybody. We cannot do that. We did it in the past -----