Dick Roche former minister
FORMER MINISTER Dick Roche, right, is optimistic about the coming year.
'I hope the country will start to make a recovery in the new year,' said Mr Roche. 'If we keep our focus we as a nation will come through it.'
He said that he has been travelling extensively around Europe, where he is working on a consulting basis, where he said he has been shocked at the terrible impact the recession has had on countries like Greece, Spain and Portugal.
'Please God the worst is behind us,' he said. ' Our little economy is in a much better position than a lot of people think. We have a lot of strengths and we need to play to those strengths.'
He added that political leaders across Europe need to pull together rather than pull apart. 'There are 27 members in the EU, not just two, and every country is equal. My biggest worry is that the equality that has been present will no longer be there,' he added, insisting that 'we're in this together'.
On a personal level, the only resolution that Mr Roche continues to make after 25 years is to continue to stay off the cigarettes.
