Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

With respect, it needs more than rhetoric to do that. The Government is making political choices. For example, the Government has signalled that it will take up to €4 billion in increased taxes and cuts in the December budget. That will be the Government's choice. The Taoiseach cannot blame Fianna Fáil for it.

I say this fraternally and, like the Taoiseach, with the best interests of the Irish people in my heart, but we want the Government to get people back to work. The Taoiseach is in Government with a whopping majority. Labour, the party of the working class, is in Government with him. Bring forward a jobs package. The Taoiseach greeted President Obama to this country and we were all glad to see him. The President has just announced a jobs package in the United States of America. He recognises that one cannot go forward unless one gets people back to work. This is our request, appeal, challenge and plea to the Government - get people back to work. Do not put the money into the pockets of top civil servants and top politicians, those who will walk off. Do not put the money into the toxic banks. The Government should put the money into getting our people back into good jobs.

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