Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I fully agree with the remarks of Deputy Shortall. There is no evidence that those who can afford to take the cutbacks in our society are doing so. Unfortunately, the opposite appears to be the case. I believe we must have a base line for the protection of front line services, otherwise we will store up sizable problems for the future. I argue for protecting programmes, especially those relating to children, whether in public health or education, to ensure we do not create problems in future by cutting back on basic services, especially those in the health service.

This morning I attended the Joint Committee on Health and Children. We were told there is not enough money for the basic school dental programmes, for basic immunisation programmes and other such programmes which protect children. If we do not protect front line services there will be serious problems as we work through the present difficulties. I strongly argue in favour of certain levels below which we should not go and for certain front line services which we should protect.

I refer to a matter in my constituency, but the point could be applied elsewhere. The Limerick region is about to lose approximately 2,000 jobs at Dell, along with a substantial number of ancillary jobs in other companies. There are other job losses in small businesses and so on affecting other parts of the country. There is a regeneration programme for Limerick, but apparently there is no money for the roll-out of the programme. It seems a local stimulus package such as the Limerick regeneration programme is a way in which we can match people who are about to lose their jobs with opportunities in the community. A plan is already in place in Limerick which will provide jobs and training for a large number of people. It makes good sense to implement this regeneration programme and to provide jobs and opportunities for those who are about to lose their jobs, instead of those people signing on and causing a drain on the resources of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanafin.

I support the model to be implemented in Limerick. There is a regeneration plan and a task force set up as a result of the Dell job losses. This model could be replicated in other communities throughout the country. If we do not provide such stimulus packages then the economy will continue to contract and increasing numbers of people will be on the dole. It seems any sense of a plan for the future to generate employment is absent in all of the Government's plans.

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