Not a time for 'little Irelander' approach

SEANAD REPORT:THIS WAS not a time for "a little Irelanders" approach to politics or to this country's place in Europe, Paul Bradford (FG) warned.

He sounded the note of caution after John Ellis (FF) said he thought this State had been kicked out so far by the EU and the European Central Bank that it was time for us to decide that we were either going to go on our own or do something about getting funds from the ECB at the same rates that Germany could avail of.

Joe O’Toole (Ind) said he agreed with those international media commentators who were saying very clearly that the predicament in which Ireland found itself was not an Irish problem but a European one.

Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) said it seemed certain EU states were targeting us in a way that would suit themselves best. It was important that politicians combined here to ensure that no divisive message was sent out.

Paul Coghlan (FG) said while “bailout” might be a misnomer, he would say to the Minister for Finance, “take it”. The Government had failed utterly to provide certainty as regards our financial stability.

Eoghan Harris (Ind) said we needed to tell the ECB that it had contributed through loans and low interest rates to the property bubble and that it was now time to take the bank debt off our backs.

Jerry Buttimer (FG) said the Irish people were punch drunk because there was no leadership from the Government, which had lied at every opportunity.

Paschal Donohoe (FG) said there was no point in blaming unelected people in Europe, the media and the private sector for the calamity we faced. It was the responsibility of parliamentarians to lead the country to a solution.

Phil Prendergast (Lab) said she found it quite shocking indications that HSE West planned to cut its mental health budget by 5 per cent. The Minister for Health needed to come clean on this matter. If it was intended to cut this budget, what was the point in having advertising campaigns to make people aware of mental health issues?