Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

They would not get them to talk about economic growth which has been two and a half times the European average. They would not get them to talk about the investment we are seeing, including foreign direct investment, and new jobs. Fine Gael would talk about stamp duty and, in doing so, the people would be greedy, would think they were going to get something and would all run for it. That is the way Fine Gael views the people. People are not fools. They did not buy it. They said: "Good luck. You are not at the races. We are not putting you in charge of a sophisticated modern economy. We are going to re-elect the Government that has brought us thus far."