John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)

Listening in my office to Deputy Joan Collins's contribution, I heard her attack the Government for imposing a small levy on private pensions. I consulted the Deputy's website to ascertain her opinions on pensions during the election campaign. On her website, Deputy Collins calls for the elimination of "all tax subsidies on private pension funds for those on incomes over €100,000" and argues that such subsidies to the wealthy must be "clawed back to fund the stimulus package necessary for the rest of society." She needs to decide which side of the fence she is on because she cannot have it both ways. I welcome the Government's decision on Tuesday on its range of initiatives. For years, Members have discussed the various problems arising in the banking sector almost to the exclusion of jobs. For the public, the feeling must have been that banks, rather than jobs, are the priority. Confidently, I am proud this package of measures demonstrates that even with the challenging position the Government has inherited, it can offer real opportunities for job creation and economic growth. All Members seek more jobs for those they represent. However, they must be honest with people and tell them there is no silver bullet. Massive job growth is required to replace the devastating effects of the economic collapse and this will take time. Many people also need time to retrain or to up-skill to return to employment. Similarly, many newly-qualified graduates need work experience to apply their learning to help them to secure employment.

Tuesday's announcement demonstrated the Government is willing to stand by the people and to give them the time and supports they need to get back to work. In total, 20,900 places were outlined in the jobs initiative, including 5,000 internships and 3,000 back to education places. This figure also includes a range of additional skills training to be delivered by FÁS. These places will open up new avenues and opportunities for people, particularly those who worked in sectors, such as the construction sector, that have been hard hit by the economic collapse. All Members are aware of the massive loss of jobs in that sector over the past four years. It was the first sector to begin to shed jobs and consequently, thousands of primarily young people, and men in particular, are in danger of falling into long-term unemployment. All evidence indicates that the longer one is unemployed, the harder it becomes to return to employment. The retraining places announced in the initiative will give such people new opportunities to pursue and will help ensure that this generation will not be allowed to fall by the wayside and become long-term unemployed.

In addition to providing the necessary training and up-skilling places, a range of initiatives was announced that will help to develop sectors of the economy with high growth potential. All Members were pleased by the recent growth in export figures but accept the export elements of the economy cannot provide all the requisite job growth. The initiative sets out priorities for such growth in areas such as tourism, which is a massive source of employment nationwide. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of overseas visitors to Ireland fell by 2 million, which had a massive knock-on effect on businesses. This decline must be reversed and measures to regain this lost ground were included in the jobs initiative, three of which I will mention. First, I believe the abolition of the counter-productive air travel tax will make airfares more competitive and will bring more visitors to Ireland. Second, the Government also has introduced a reform of the visa system to make it easier for visitors from fast-growing economies such as India and China to visit Ireland. Third, a reduction on the rate of VAT on tourism-related goods and services is intended to improve competitiveness and increase Ireland's attractiveness to foreign visitors.

Further initiatives announced, such as the additional €30 million in 2011 for the national retrofit programme, will support jobs and will help consumers to lower their energy bills. The additional funds for road maintenance will create jobs while facilitating necessary repairs. Additional funding for the summer work schemes in schools also was announced, which is particularly welcome because all Members will be aware of schools in their respective constituencies that require essential repairs and to learn properly, students need an adequate physical environment. These measures will support jobs and provide a platform to create new ones.

The measures outlined in the jobs initiative set out practical first steps to begin the process of rebuilding the economy along more sustainable lines. They provide stimulus in the form of immediate investment, while also creating the conditions for longer term jobs growth. Finally and most importantly, this jobs initiative gives people a chance to overcome the challenges facing them. I am proud both to support these measures and that the Government is fulfilling its promise to make job creation its first priority.

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