Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the quarterly national household survey results. It is important sometimes to reflect on our achievements and to pause for a moment to understand what is happening in our economy. The figures published by the Central Statistics Office last month tell a compelling story of transformation.

I pose an important question to the House. What does an increase of 400,000 in jobs since 1997 tell us? It tells me that we have put in place the right enterprise policies to build a strong economy. Through lower taxes we have given individuals more choice over how to spend their incomes and we have nurtured a culture of enterprise where people with new ideas are not stymied at every turn. In a decade, our very approach to risk takers has changed. No longer is the only option for entrepreneurs to emigrate to innovate. Ireland has been transformed from a country where many young people had to leave to find jobs to one where young people from across the globe are contributing to our economy. We have implemented broad economic polices that have changed the business environment. This is not just our own analysis. After eight consistent years of managed growth and prosperity, the International Monetary Fund is still able to commend Ireland's "continued impressive economic performance, the result of sound economic policies."

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