Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Government made a series of strategic decisions to restructure the bank system and to recapitalise banks. We are all aware of the numbers of people who are in a distressed condition because of their mortgages. We have set out the issues that currently apply there, where discussions should take place in the first instance between the lender and the borrower. We are waiting for a series of recommendations from an expert group to report by the end of September.

I spoke to an employer over the weekend who interviewed three times for employees in a nursing home, was unable to get any Irish employee to take a job at €10, €10.50 or €11 per hour and must now bring in people from abroad who will work on those wages and send back contributions to their own countries. I am well aware of the extent of the live register but I am also aware that the direction of the Government will be to reduce the burden on employers, business and opportunities for employment and initiatives. To have a situation where we have 14.4% on the live register is completely unacceptable. One cannot change the direction of such a magnitude overnight or in 20 weeks but the focus of the Government is to sort out our public finances-----

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