Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The Taoiseach is very clear with regard to targets for public sector reform, so called, and to the slashing of between 22,000 and 25,000 jobs by 2015. With regard to the Government's jobs programme, which the Taoiseach says will come in May, does he have a benchmark for reducing unemployment from the disastrous level of 440,000? Has he set a benchmark for six months, 12 months or 18 months with regard to how many tens of thousands of jobs will have been created and the level of unemployment after those periods?

With regard to employment and unemployment and with regard to local government reform, which the Taoiseach also promised, was he shocked by this morning's announcement that Mayo County Council will slash 150 jobs in his own county? Is that not an incredibly bad start to any talk of local government reform? The loss of 150 jobs will have a huge consequence for public services for the people of Mayo. Does the Taoiseach denounce that proposal?

See this speech in context