Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)

There is nothing more important than the retention and expansion of jobs. Sadly, with today's unemployment figures, we see the Government is failing in this regard. These numbers have doubled in the past 12 months. This is an unprecedented increase in our history. However, behind every figure is a person and a family. As public representatives, we must never become indifferent to their difficulties. This Private Members' motion would directly benefit 100,000 people by producing 100,000 jobs.

Fianna Fáil, which has been in Government for 20 out of the past 22 years, has lost its once famous touch with the electorate. This will be verified in a few weeks' time after 5 June when the local, European and by-elections are held. The old rules established years ago no longer apply.

In the past I have advocated reducing the corporation tax level. We are allowing other countries which have studied our success to replicate it. They are bettering our rates and some are even charging a rate of 0% for poorer located regions. It is in the interests of the State that we get jobs even if we do not get corporation tax. The jobs will benefit the people who are unemployed. We will lose corporation tax but at least we will have people earning and not costing the State money by being on the dole.

We need to think strategically and to cleverly drive the burgeoning smart economy. Encouraging the smart economy will cost money. Those involved in research should be considered for tax breaks. Those in RTE, ESB, Bord Gáis and others in the State sector are not paying the pension levy. Some hundreds of millions of euro are being pumped into research each year, most of which comes from non-governmental organisations. Exceptional staff in Irish agencies and Irish universities must be retained in all circumstances. The HEA brief that only one salary can apply no matter how good and qualified a person and no matter what his or her background is another one of those old rules established in a different time. We cannot afford to allow other universities to come in and head hunt the exceptional people in our universities for the sake of offering additional funds. It would be the worst possible scenario.

Broadband has been well covered by other speakers but I wish to touch on two other matters. The ESB and Bord Gáis have been overcharging with the consent of the Commissioner for Energy Regulating so that we can encourage competition. Now the ESB and Bord Gáis have a war chest of tens of millions of euro. This has an impact on other companies trying to compete with them. The Taoiseach eventually intervened when the Green Party Minister was not prepared to do anything about it.

Many Members started their political life in local authorities. There is a crazy scenario where, on the direction of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, local authorities must apply to the Environmental Protection Agency for a discharge licence when the local authorities know they need a discharge licence and additional funding. One agency is telling another what it needs to do. The cost for Wexford County Council alone is €1 million. We should stop spending money on reports and start building waste water treatment plants so that in a couple of years' time, we will not have to pay fines under the waste water directive.

I looked up the number of young people unemployed in my home town of Gorey. There are 900 young people between the ages of 18 and 22 unemployed. We need Youthreach, FÁS programmes and other programmes.

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