Dáil debates

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

3:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The European Council meeting of 10 and 11 December formally welcomed the coming into force of the Lisbon treaty on 1 December. As the Taoiseach will recall, one of the key slogans of the Lisbon treaty campaign was "Vote Yes for Irish Jobs".

This was an absolute and common position for the various forces that pressed for a "Yes" position. Since then, unemployment has soared and emigration again has become a reality for many thousands of Irish families. In the course of the Council meetings the Taoiseach has attended, have employment retention or creation initiatives been discussed, given that the conclusions contain no initiative either to retain or create jobs across the European Union? This is despite the Council's conclusions also stating, according to my notes, that the employment and social situation is expected to deteriorate further in 2010.

While this was stated in the conclusions, there is no content referencing initiatives to retain or create jobs. Given this is the case, were employment retention and creation initiatives discussed? For example, were the impending further massive cuts to Ireland's fishing quotas addressed as a matter of interest to that sector of the economy?

I also noticed that the conclusions referred to broad-based stimulus policies in member states. There certainly are examples of member states within the European Union which have initiated what have proven to be effective stimulus packages within their respective jurisdictions. I refer specifically to the Belgian experience as but one in which one already can discern the results of strategic spending and in which the budget deficit now is lower as a percentage of GDP than is the case in this State. However, such recognition of stimulus packages by the Council meeting of 10 and 11 December can hardly apply in Ireland, given the mean and meagre efforts to address stimulus that were contained in the recent budgetary proposals put forward in this House only last week.

On foot of the last question, the Taoiseach referred to international aspects of the Council meeting. For example, what efforts were made to address the situation in the Middle East? There was a declaration on Iran with which I concur and which was quite correct. However, was there a proposal or discussion-----

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