Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the call by the Minister for Finance last night for a wider redundancy programme across the public service. This is not a threat and should not be seen as one. Redundancy programmes are modern management techniques in any workforce. I appreciate the remarks made by Deputy Michael D. Higgins. It is unfortunate members of the media were not in the Press Gallery to hear them. Redundancy programmes are available everywhere. In my view, many in the public service will use the opportunity to get out of it and apply their talents elsewhere.

There are other issues which I would like the Minister to consider in the current economic situation. The issue of prequalification for public contracts denies many small businesses access to them. For example, in the construction sector many ably qualified builders cannot, for reasons relating to turnover, apply for jobs in schools and public building refurbishment contracts. This turnover has nothing to do with their capacity to build or respond to a specific tender. Turnover can be achieved in many ways. The current system excludes small qualified contractors accessing public funds. I fear it is also preventing us getting value for taxpayers' money as these small contractors can do the job cheaper.

Another issue requiring urgent attention is the importation of motor vehicles from Northern Ireland and, in particular, the UK. I ask that the Minister ensure that the Revenue Commissioners allocate extra staff to ensure all imported vehicles comply with the law, revenue laws in particular, and are registered with the Revenue Commissioners in due time. There is much evidence to suggest this is not what is happening. This practice is undermining employment opportunities in the motor industry which is already under severe pressure.

I referred at the outset to the extraordinary times in which we find ourselves. An article in this morning's The Irish Times is testament to the worst excesses of the systems outlined by Deputy Michael D. Higgins. Hedge funds are betting hundreds of millions of euros that share values in Irish banks will fall. They are effectively treating as pawns on a game board the people who work in the banks, customers and those whose lives are entwined with the banks through mortgages and savings.

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