Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Much progress has been made in research and development. The Deputy will recall that when we came into office in 1997, no moneys were provided in this area, as was the case in many other areas. Thankfully, we have been able to improve the situation over a period. I refer to the EU funded research programmes for which the Irish Commissioner has responsibility. We believe that the seventh framework research programme will provide opportunities for Ireland to obtain co-funding in several areas due to the well-regarded research programmes we have built up over the years since we came into office. There is a question of national and EU funded improvements to be considered.

I refer to the question of participation rates, etc. The percentage of our participation rate is somewhere in the mid to high 60s at the moment. These matters will continue to be examined. There is no doubt that the taxation policies in the past have enabled us to see a great improvement in the participation rates. The number of jobs created during the good times amounted to 600,000. They enabled females, who in the past had more traditional roles, to come back into the workforce. That is a welcome social change and it has been a major contributor to economic growth and prosperity in the past.

I refer to the question on budgetary issues. This matter will now be taken up by ECOFIN in terms of the detail required and discussions will take place in the coming months in this regard. It is important to point out that it is not a question of the detail of budgets being decided upon in March. It is a question of ECOFIN, the eurogroup, the ECB and the Commission being satisfied with the overall budgetary strategy. I welcome that the Labour Party Leader acknowledges a plan is in place which must be adhered to. I look forward to everyone in the Opposition being able to come forward with detailed proposals of how we should meet these budgetary targets in a realistic way. The Deputy can be sure the Government will seek to adhere to the plans that we have agreed, as challenging as they are.

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