Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

In the past 18 months, some 200,000 people have become unemployed, more than 80% of whom are under the age of 30. Are we at risk of pursuing a very limited policy of retrenchment when we need a combination of investment, reform and restructuring? The Minister's narrow track risks a correction in the economy which will be ground out by mass unemployment rather than examining where we can create opportunities to invest at a time when, to use the phrase "The paradox of thrift", everyone is saving furiously. The economy will continue to sink into a vicious cycle. The State has to take a leadership role. If the Minister does not like Fine Gael's new era document, I submit to him that he needs to develop another strong investment vehicle which can drive forward the economy instead of grinding it down.

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