Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

To meet the goals that we share, we must have a strong - it is not sounding great for cross-party co-operation, but anyway - and stable economy.

We stand here this afternoon on the precipice of a moment of extraordinary economic turbulence globally. We had a report last week from the ESRI, which estimated more than 80,000 jobs in the Irish economy could be at risk. There are people who got up this morning, regardless of who they voted for in the general election, who have gone out and done a day's work and are genuinely worried as they return home this evening. They are worried about the uncertainty in the economy, what tomorrow might bring and the impact it might have on their job, their family and their ability to pay the mortgage. Yet, against that very stark backdrop, we are standing in Dáil Éireann, not discussing that this evening-----

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