Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I also wish to join with other voices in the Dáil in extending congratulations to the newly-appointed Ministers of State, Deputies Áine Brady and Calleary. I wish them both the very best in their new positions. However, the critical news that all Members await is not the appointment of new Ministers of State or the reappointment of others. It pertains to a required new policy direction that will take on board many of the sound arguments that have been presented by Opposition parties in this House in recent months and which are relevant to the serious economic crisis in which we find ourselves. The cutting of the number of Ministers of State and the shuffling of personnel is not an answer. Although I hope it will prove to be otherwise, many will consider this to be nothing more than part of a smokescreen placed over the Government's failure to address the real issues of the retention of jobs and the creation of new job opportunities, which are the two critical elements that have been missing from the Government's entire approach. Against the backdrop of the Social Welfare Bill before the House today-----

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