Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

I welcome the jobs initiative. Any proposal to lift ourselves out of our current economic dilemma is positive. While I appreciate that the Government must operate within the strict parameters of the EU-IMF bailout agreement, this jobs initiative appears to be a conservative plan. We need a more radical plan with more innovation and inventiveness if we are to make a dent in our huge unemployment figures.

I was disappointed the initiative did not mention the thousands of partially completed houses in ghost estates. Local authorities, in co-operation with NAMA, should strive to make these houses available to address the growing waiting lists for social housing. It would also provide an immediate boost for the construction industry and thousands of skilled tradespeople who have few opportunities for work.

Recently, I received correspondence from a Killorglin-based construction company which employs 26 staff on reductions to home insulation grants. For example, it is proposed the attic insulation grant will be reduced from €250 to €200, cavity wall insulation grants from €400 to €320, BER certificate grants from €100 to €80 and dry-lining insulation grants from €2,000 to €1,800. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland claims these reductions are because market prices have become more competitive. The owner of the Killorglin construction company informed me this is incorrect as all insulation materials and other costs incurred, such as fuel, have gone up 20% to 40% in the past several months. He will be forced to lay off five workers this week and by the middle of the summer he expects to be employing only ten people. Will the Government intervene and rescind the authority's decision to reduce the grants?

I welcome the Government's action in reducing tourism VAT and the commitment to eliminate the travel tax, subject to an increase in passenger numbers which I believe is achievable. Tourism marketing resources will be made available to Tourism Ireland to assist the three State airports in promoting visitor traffic through co-operative marketing with the airline companies. Will this be extended to include viable regional airports such as Kerry Airport and Donegal Airport as this could also assist tourism promotion in these counties?

I welcome the reduction in PRSI and the scheme for 5,000 internships. They could be extended to 30,000 to provide practical low-cost job training for the State.

I am glad the Taoiseach will give some deliberation to the matters about pension funds raised by Deputy Shane Ross earlier this morning. Many owners of small businesses prudently put aside money over the years into pension funds to provide a nest-egg for themselves and their families in their retirement. It is wrong to victimise these people through a pension levy. Many of them will only have something like €12,000 a year from their investment. To demand that they pay €2,500 to €3,000 in an annual tax on this is somewhat severe.

As Deputy Shane Ross said earlier, we should go after the bigger pension pots. There is one example of a chief executive officer in one of our financial institutions with a €28 million pension pot. I cannot see why we cannot go after them in a more substantial way while a ceiling is put on the amount to which this new levy will apply.

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