Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

Michael O'Leary's proposal for 300 jobs has featured very largely on the political and media agenda for the past ten days. He has dominated RTE news programmes and our national newspapers and today his press conference on Merrion Street was attended by dozens of reporters. Last Sunday some of those newspapers strongly criticised politicians and politics for doing nothing to address Ireland's unemployment problem. Those newspapers challenged Opposition politicians to come up with proposals similar to Michael O'Leary's. As an Opposition politician in this democratically elected national Parliament, I accept that challenge.

Through the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Cuív, I guarantee the Tánaiste that the sea food company Marine Harvest will provide 30 new jobs at its base in Fanad, County Donegal, if the Department of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food moves to resolve very simple licensing issues this spring. These issues and obstacles have existed for 15 years. I guarantee the Tánaiste that the long-distance transport company Global Flexi Systems will provide 15 new jobs at Moville, County Donegal, if Enterprise Ireland moves to match Invest Northern Ireland's concrete offer to provide the company with initial equity support.

I guarantee that a Greencastle-based company, McCormick Transport Limited, will supply 150 jobs in dredging, oil rigging, supply boating and tug boating, if the Department of Enterprise, Trade, & Employment will provide two to eight weeks of upskilling courses to unemployed fishermen at Greencastle Fisheries College. With very short training in ship construction, ship stability, ship cargo work, lifeboat certificate and efficient deckhand certification, EDH, unemployed deckhands, skippers, mates, and engineers will qualify for these 150 jobs.

I guarantee that Beattie Fuels will provide 45 jobs in truck driving, unloading, and yard operation at Killybegs if the Department of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food will permit the company to use Killybegs Harbour as a point for importing bulk coal and fuel. I propose this along with my colleague, Deputy Dinny McGinley.

I present a potential 240 jobs to the Tánaiste, 60 fewer than Michael O'Leary proposed. All they require are single telephone calls to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to FÁS, and to Enterprise Ireland. As a politician I work in a mass media environment. The media challenged me last week and I have responded by presenting this proposal to the Minister of State. It involves 60 fewer jobs than Michael O'Leary proposed but it requires only three telephone calls. Jobs can be created if we get rid of the red tape, regulation and bureaucracy, apply some common sense and get back to basics.

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