Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

We have over 400,000 people out of work and a report from the high level action group was received one year ago. The Taoiseach still cannot tell us what is being done in practice, other than that the report of the feasibility study submitted in May is still floating around being considered. No decisions have been taken by the Government and no project team has been put in place. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Taoiseach referred to the potential for 80,000 jobs in this area when it was announced. The Minister said 20,000 of those jobs could be created in the next five to ten years. We are now one year into it and not a single job has been created. The project that was to be established this year in order to progress it has not been established and the Government is still considering it. I do not get the sense there is urgency about developing this area, which has potential for jobs at a time of high employment. It is another case of official body reports and feasibility studies on the reports, which generates more paperwork. All we are getting is paperwork rather than action.

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