Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government made choices and has targeted a particular sector. I am setting out alternatives that could equally have been chosen. The Government could, for example, have given a boost to building services by cutting VAT in that area. I am sure that would have resulted in more transactions in the black economy coming within the system. However, that is not the choice that was made. I am merely outlining that as an option the Government had.

The jobs initiative does not refer to the NewERA policy pioneered by the Minister, Deputy Coveney. That policy was flagged prior to the election and for many months leading up to it as the initiative that would lead to the creation of 100,000 jobs.

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