Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let us have a debate in real terms. If Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh had his way, we would be back in the 1950s waving people off at the dock in Cobh. Today, we are welcoming them home and telling them they can come back and work in our country. I am proud that the Ireland that takes my past pupils, for whom I had to write references when they were leaving between 2007 and 2011, to come back. I take pride in seeing them come home. The budget is not the perfect solution. It is the beginning of the restoration and improvement of the quality of lives of our people. The only party that wanted to go into government was Fine Gael. The rest of the parties said, "No, thank you". It is easy to shout from the sideline. When one makes the decisions in government is where it counts.The Senator's colleagues in the North, whether one likes it or not, do that and take the hard decisions.