Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Nobody denies that the fundamentals of the Irish economy are sound but the perception across the country is that the Government managed to get back into government, climbed into the State cars, awarded themselves between €36,000 and €38,000, closed the doors and said that everything was going to be fine. That is not the position. The situation is very different now from when the Minister, Deputy Cowen, presented his budget just before Christmas. There is clearly an unease and a depth of concern out there and a loss of confidence in a range of sectors in the economy.

Other governments in Washington, Paris, London and Rome have attempted to address the challenges faced by their countries and their people. They have told the people of their plans and decisions. What has this Government done? It has done nothing, except say it will be fine on the day, whether one is whistling past the tenth storey on the way down to ground zero, or not. Ministers say, in clichéd terms, that it will be fine; we will ride out the storm.

I want to know what the Government has decided in respect of dealing with the situation as we find it at the end of January 2008. I will make three proposals to the Taoiseach in that regard. I ask him to direct that there be a 2% efficiency audit carried out across every Department, which, over a four year period, would yield approximately €8 billion to spend on tax cuts or on other areas. Will the Taoiseach direct that there be a real, radical overhaul of the 1,000 quangos at national and local level, which have led to a bureaucratic and administrative bulge which is not delivering the public service for which the people pay their taxes? I further ask him to direct FÁS to carry out a national programme of upskilling and retraining. One must look at the situation in Kilkenny recently and the situation in Arklow today, where workers are being made redundant because of the consequences of globalised decisions from multinationals.

It is not just workers who are unfortunately made redundant who require retraining and upskilling. The nature of the marketplace, with sudden changes of direction by companies, means that workers in situ also need access to a clear, defined programme of retraining and upskilling. The Taoiseach must direct that FÁS does that now, so that people will understand that the Government is not just sitting in its ivory tower in the Cabinet room but has a clear plan in response to this economic lack of confidence, which is causing so much concern to many families. I have made three specific proposals which the Taoiseach can take charge of and direct. Is he prepared to do so?

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