Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The same should happen with regard to the €75 million set aside for the transport Vote and the €60 million for local roads. Where will that come from? There is not new money. Of the more than €135 million that has been earmarked, some €106 is coming from existing programmes and projects. We would like a list of the projects that will be shelved as a result of this reprioritisation. Some of them were earmarked to retain and create jobs.

The initiative and the Government's focus on creating and retaining jobs are welcome. I will not deal with plan to take money from the pension plan. Others have spoken about that. The bulk of the investment taken from the pension plan will be used to retain jobs rather than create new ones. The Government has not been specific about what it hopes to create. That is, perhaps, wise. However, the Government will be measured by unemployment numbers. When the next set of numbers are published in six, eight or ten months time, if there is not an increase in employment numbers it will be a commentary on this initiative. At that stage it will be seen to be a success or a failure. I am prepared to wait to see that before we cast judgment on it. That is how this initiative will be viewed.

See this speech in context