Fiona O'Malley (Dún Laoghaire, Progressive Democrats)

This would upset certain groups, but it is undoubtedly the correct step.

Like many Members of this House, I have received correspondence from retailers expressing their concern about the effect of this proposed action on their businesses. Retailers should know that their clearly articulated concerns were considered during extensive deliberations on the future of the order last year. I further reassure these businesses that, notwithstanding recent steps on the order and competition generally, the Progressive Democrats will continue to work to support all businesses. This will include smaller traders and garages, etc. who appear most vocal in their concern about developments.

My party is acutely aware that our successful economy, based as it is on initiative, enterprise and development, requires a mixture of business types, such as the sole traders, the small and medium enterprises, larger concerns and multinationals. The Progressive Democrats will pursue policies nuanced enough to ensure that all business types have the correct level of support to allow them to get on with their work in trading, generating revenue, profits, jobs and wages. The same cannot be said, unfortunately, of parties in opposition.

A weekend media report referred to research showing that a key barrier to voters opting for the Labour Party was nervousness about its ability to manage the national economy. This nervousness is understandable and is something I share. How would Labour in Government deal, for example, with yesterday's advice from the ESRI? Would we see some sort of internal schizophrenic meltdown as it considers which union group to appease? Would Fine Gael throw straw in the wind to judge how its vote might be affected and its reaction?

Here we see the stark reality of the choice facing the electorate. The Progressive Democrats want to let business get on with it and let the economy progress. The party wishes to keep the burden on business and workers low and generate the economic activity that fuels public revenue, which in turn is used to assist the most vulnerable people in our communities. Letting the economy progress is what has been good for Ireland and its citizens.

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