Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I am glad of the opportunity to return to a theme about which I feel strongly. This motion gives us an opportunity to highlight issues which are relevant to my constituency and to many other constituencies, namely, high prices and high costs for businesses, the knock-on effect on employment in many constituencies, the lack of infrastructure and how this prevents job creation in rural Ireland and the foolish spending and lending decade over which Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats presided which we now see spiralling out of control.

On the Adjournment Debate last week, I tried to emphasise the catastrophic effect rising costs have had on businesses all over the country. I used the example of Bulmers in Clonmel where considerable job losses occurred over two weeks ago. I pointed to an admission by the management of the company that one difficult summer coupled with what it described as unfavourable market trading conditions resulted in the loss of 150 jobs in Clonmel, County Tipperary. However much it attempts to deny this, the Government's mismanagement of the economy is to blame for job losses all over the country, including some of those announced today.

I am sorry for the people in Galway who, so close to Christmas, are facing the loss of their jobs. I was in Clonmel this morning and people were worried about a second announcement of job losses. It could have happened in south Tipperary but I am glad it did not.

With Ireland's ability to compete internationally being damaged by the Government's inept management of the economy, it is essential more is done to develop native Irish industry. For the sake of riding out one difficult season, what supports has the Government provided in the example I gave? For a plan costing Bulmers €15 million with savings of €10 million, the Government has thrown a small amount of research and development funding at Clonmel. How can this be acceptable when employer after employer has disappeared from town and country? All roads for locals looking for jobs lead to Dublin and abroad. The Bulmers issue must be tackled and the Government must share the blame for what has happened.

Another shocking and mind-boggling statistic which emerged from the National Competitiveness Council is that household borrowing doubled between 2003 and 2007. Is it any wonder people are crippled by debt? It all falls back on the poor and middle income earners among whom borrowings have spiralled out of control.

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