Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to comment on this, the Government's first initiative in the field of job creation. Welcome though it may be, however - and I welcome it - it is rather minimalist. When one compares it to the documents produced by Fine Gael less than 12 months ago which promised €18 billion expenditure on job creation, it pales into insignificance. For every €36 promised in that original and widely circulated document €1 is being spent today. Of course, when reality kicked in the figure of €18 billion dropped, first to €7 billion. Now it has dwindled to €500 million.

None the less, the unemployment problem in this country is very severe. I recognise this, as does my party, and I welcome any initiative, from whatever Government, that will attempt to deal with that situation. I intend, therefore, to be as positive and constructive as I can. I have a number of questions which I hope are legitimate, a number of criticisms I hope the Minister will regard as constructive and a number of suggestions I hope he will regard as helpful.

See this speech in context