Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

With the permission of the House I will share my time with Deputy Sean Sherlock.

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak in this debate and to try to answer some of the questions asked by the previous speakers. The last comment Deputy Dooley made is a fair one. In time, we will be judged on whether this jobs initiative, or stimulus package, has been successful. We will be judged on tourism numbers, because we are targeting that sector, and some of the other specific target areas.

Being in Government is about making choices. This is one of several initiatives that are about reinforcing the message that this Government's priority is job creation and putting structures around our economy that can allow jobs to be created within the private sector. The evidence to date would suggest that, from the very outset, the Government's priorities on job creation were clear. We have made clear decisions around banking, although they are more costly than we are happy with. Nonetheless, around the structures of banking, we have made clear decisions that should have been taken two and a half years ago but were not.

I disagree with Deputy Dooley that we are continuing Fianna Fail's banking strategy. I noted Deputy Wallace and others were smiling when that was said because even Opposition parties apart from Fianna Fáil would not suggest that.

We have taken some clear decisions. Whereas Deputy McDonald and others are not happy about the approach towards burden sharing, there is no doubt the Government is restructuring the banking system in Ireland in a way that is responsible and makes sense.

NewERA is still Government policy. Elements of NewERA are in the programme for Government and a Minister has specific responsibility for implementing that.

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