Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

We can perhaps include that and, no doubt, the Taoiseach will take it on board. We will expect to see him in the Dáil more often to discuss Council meetings.

There was something a little surreal about the Taoiseach pledging funds to Greece, a case of the Irish bearing gifts to the Greeks, on the one hand and, on the other, discovering the following week the hole that existed in our own financial system. The Celtic tiger had certainly turned into a tragedy; one might call it a Greek tragedy. Anyway, that was an important issue and I hope the first step we have taken is a step in the right direction, although we are not yet out of the woods in this respect.

The 2020 new European strategy for jobs and growth was the other major issue discussed. I have already expressed my disappointment that it is quite a modest strategy. The targets are modest. It is really just an extension of the 2000 strategy, the Lisbon agenda, which was not successfully implemented. I cannot see much new thinking or new strategies to improve on the ten years up to now, during which the European Union was to become the most competitive, dynamic entity in the world. There is no sign of that. If anything, it is struggling. The 3% for research and development was also in place ten years ago. We have not reached it ourselves yet; we are only at 2% and have a long way to go, although we started more slowly. The 2020 targets relating to energy and climate change are what we have already expressed. There is talk about innovation and employment but there are no strategies in that regard at present.

I note that each country has been asked to produce a national reform programme. Who will front the national reform programme Ireland is preparing? What Minister will be in charge? What will be the focus of that programme? Will it be jobs and employment? If it is employment, will that be for the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, at the Department of enterprise, trade and innovation or the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív, at the new Department of social protection?

See this speech in context