Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I hope the Taoiseach can go beyond that and examine carefully what is a well thought-out, well costed serious proposition to ease the burden on employers and to allow the creation of up to 30,000 extra jobs in the coming years. I call this "tax-cut employment". As Deputy Bruton pointed out yesterday, it would be funded by the introduction of a carbon tax, a windfall tax on the rip-off charges levied by power generators, which are estimated at €200 million, and the PRSI ceiling, which would still leave the €352 weekly exemption available to those who are lower paid or on a minimum wage. This would still leave the Government with €200 million extra for deficit reduction or other employment expenditure.

I cannot repeat this strongly enough. The members of Cabinet are focused entirely on reaching the demands set by the Minister for Finance in their Departments and they are coming under pressure in this regard on a daily basis. However, far removed from the Cabinet room, as we speak, there are employers looking at their books and people who are concerned that they might not have jobs after Christmas. This proposal, which equates to a permanent tax cut on employment, should show employers that money saved in this way could make a massive difference in protecting employment while allowing them to invest for future job creation. It affects 1.7 million workers and 175,000 businesses. Whether they are in Donegal, Cork, Dublin or Wexford, all employers that pay out cheques at the weekend, whatever the rate of PRSI, will find this of benefit.

This is something the Government can do on 9 December. It can send out the message that not only is it listening to constructive suggestions from Opposition parties, but it is prepared to implement them. We made suggestions previously in respect of freezing of rates, reductions in Government charges and the creation of 100,000 jobs through the Coveney plan for an economic recovery authority, but they were all rejected by Government.

This is a serious, costed proposal. We are prepared to make our people available to Government to spell out clearly how this can work. The message can go out in advance of the budget. We are to lose another 72,000 jobs next year; that is almost a full crowd at Croke Park. Is the Taoiseach prepared to accept the constructive suggestion put forward by Fine Gael in the interests of so many workers and 175,000 businesses?

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