Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I rith fheachtas an toghcháin bhí daoine ag lorg ceannaireacht. Nuair a tháinig Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus Fine Gael le chéile, bhí a lán daoine dóchasach, ach níl siad dóchasach anois. The Taoiseach asked whether we were seeking any outstanding information. Yes: where are the jobs? That is information we would like to have, because that is what many citizens are asking, particularly the half a million who are unemployed.

How can the Government put €24 billion of public moneys into toxic banks, which is probably more than it will spend on the Queen of England's visit? The sum total would probably give away pensions for nine bankers. In this context how can the Government put only €29 million into what it now calls a jobs initiative? If this really is a plan for jobs, where are the targets in terms of numbers and types of jobs? What happened to the general election promises made by Fine Gael and Labour to create 100,000 jobs and 60,000 training places? What happened to the billions of euro that was going to fund them? Did the banks get all that money? Did the IMF and the EU approve yesterday's measures?

Will the Taoiseach agree that before it is too late there needs to be more meaningful investment in job creation if we are to break the cycle of unemployment? Does he not accept that the economy needs a stimulus and will he make a statement on that le do thoil?

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