Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank both witnesses for opening our eyes to the many problems they face. I have travelled around Ireland for a television show, mainly to visit small businesses, and the difference between some very enthusiastic small businesses and others who have almost given up hope until they are sparked off again is amazing. Something that surprises me is the number of people who are looking for employees but cannot find them. Mr. O'Brien mentioned apprenticeships. I did not realise there was a problem in that respect but I ask him to discuss Springboard. Mr. Martin commented that people may not have enough information about Springboard and JobBridge. This is the where the Government is at least doing something to get people in to fill those gaps. I am amazed to hear some of the high-tech companies say they cannot get Irish employees and must bring them in from elsewhere.

We need a new spirit, and it is more likely to come from entrepreneurs. When I went to a meeting in Brussels some time ago we flew in on a Sunday but the airport workers were on strike. On Monday, the bus workers were on strike. On Tuesday the taxis were on strike and on Wednesday the railway workers were on strike. They believed that if they stopped work for a day they would get people to do things for them.

I recall some years ago, in a spirit of great enthusiasm, a large number of people here did a day's work for free. Imagine the message we could send out to the rest of the world if people in Ireland, which is faced with a challenge, were willing to work an extra day for free instead of doing what Greece is doing, namely, stopping work for a day. If we could encourage that to happen we would send out a message to everybody in Ireland that we can beat this crisis and show to the eyes of the world that these people are intent not only on paying their debts but on getting the finances right through working harder rather than working less. If that is to happen it will more likely come from employers, whether it is small and medium businesses or IBEC people. I believe an effort could be made in that respect.

Another point the witnesses made - I ask them to return to it - is that social welfare payments are discouraging people from going out to work. I thought that issue had been sorted out. I understood that in general terms most people were better off working rather than not working. The witnesses might touch on that also.