Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. It is probably his last visit to the Seanad as Minster for Finance, because he has indicated that he is not seeking reappointment. I note that he has said he is not standing for re-election, so I wish him the very best in his retirement and I acknowledge the lengthy public service he has given.

As a Government bankbencher in the previous Dáil, I have crossed swords with the Minister before. I have always been quite upfront and honest when I think something is wrong and I have said it at every turn. I acknowledge that this is part of the programme for Government. In fact, what we are saying is that this is not the time to sell. The Minister does not have to sell in June, it can be reassessed in the autumn. There are very good reasons it is not the time. The conversation in changing across Europe in respect of what is happening with the fiscal rules and putting additional money into spending on infrastructure. That conversation has been continued by my own party leader, Deputy Brendan Howlin, who has been travelling to Europe almost fortnightly to talk to our sister parties with a view to bringing forward progressive proposals on important investment in infrastructure - the infrastructure that has been referred to in this House including our hospitals, our schools and the M20. We need a balance to the Dublin region and connecting Limerick and Cork makes perfect sense. That is why we have asked to put a pause on this. That is why the Dáil voted democratically in favour of the Labour Party motion which said we should not sell AIB now.

I actually wonder at the contribution from Fianna Fáil Members today. They have so many positions on so many issues, it almost changes by the hour. One would sometimes wonder how many splinters can work their way into a political party's bottom from sitting on a fence. At this stage I do not think Fianna Fáil knows which side of the fence it is on. It constantly worries about where Sinn Féin stands so it can move in a different way. It then worries about where Fine Gael stands so it can move in yet another direction. I was quite surprised at the contribution by Fianna Fáil this evening because it clearly voted in the Dáil to say that this was not the time. Their representatives' public contributions since then have contradicted that position constantly. Therefore, I am not too sure.

In fairness to Senator O'Donnell, if I closed my eyes and put a wig and lipstick on him I would have seen Maggie Thatcher making his contributions today. It is the same thing - we must pay everybody back and so on.