Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

With the legislation before us it is very important to heed Deputy Martin's point about eliminating the "Punch and Judy" element of Irish politics. We should be serious about our intent. I heard the concerns of Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Wallace and understand the legitimacy of their comments. What we are discussing is the creation of employment and incentivising the jobs market. Some 14.5% of our men and women are unemployed, and the vast majority want to have a job. We know these people. Are we seriously arguing in this House, under the guide of political ideology, that we are not in favour of employment, that we do not want to give people hope on a Friday that they could go to work on a Monday? Deputy Wallace is an employer and knows well what it is like in the jobs market.

Within 100 days in this much-vaunted term we have had a jobs budget and there is a Bill before us which is incentivising employment, rewarding entrepreneurs and employers and allowing people to go to work. The issue of activation measures has been raised but we have that in this package. Deputy Costello is right in saying we must encourage employers but if the abuse which Deputy Wallace warned of becomes apparent, we should revisit the issue. I hope the Minister will comment on that. If we are to abandon all hope for the sake of ideology, we may as well give up and bring in Fidel Castro and Gadaffi and let them run the country.

Our people are crying out for hope and jobs. We all know these people in our families and communities. The Bill does not discriminate against the people who can get a job but we are looking after those who need the assistance of the Department of Social Protection. These people are the lower paid or even on the minimum wage. This Bill is restoring the minimum wage to the people who most require the help of the Government. The Members opposite in Fianna Fáil abandoned those people.

See this speech in context