I want to refer to one or two points that will arise on almost any section of the Bill and we might as well dispose of them now. The Minister, in his speech a few minutes ago, referred to some remarks of mine and pointed out what he considered to be some paradoxes mentioned by me. Firstly, I want to point out that it is possible to give one's support to a thing and to disapprove of it very much, at the same time. I pointed out yesterday that I believe that in this measure we were approaching the problem from the wrong end and I suggested that, if I had my way, I would have approached it from a different angle altogether. The Minister thinks differently and the House approves of what the Minister is doing, although I do not fully approve of it; but once this measure becomes law, as a citizen I will be in duty bound to support it and I will support it, and I give that assurance to the Minister. There is not much point in splitting hairs in matters of that kind.
Another thing, and it is important, is the reference to the question of private enterprise versus State projects. I referred specifically to the difficulties in the West of Ireland. Our Constitution declares for private enterprise but our Constitution also points out that, where it is necessary, State enterprise should aid private enterprise. Yesterday I referred to the heavy drain of emigration on the West of Ireland. Private enterprise does not seem to be meeting the needs of the West of Ireland in the provision of employment, and, because of that, I made a case for the State itself taking greater interest in that area than it has been taking so far. Surely there is no paradox in that?
With regard to other matters, the question of wheat and so on, I made it clear that I saw difficulties in having a discussion on these things. There were other points, other industries, which I might have recalled to him as being suitable for consideration, but it would have involved a going back on the activities of other years and that was one thing that I particularly wanted to avoid.
I hope, with regard to his final reference to the Irish pound, that he will succeed in maintaining its value. If he does not, we will all suffer in consequence, but there is no use in our closing our eyes to the fact that the Irish pound has been devalued and has very much deteriorated as a result of the actions which we are taking now. As I said, there is nothing for us to do but to face the truth. As a result of all these things, we will have money in our hands that we will not be able to spend.
