Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has placed on the record of the House the improved situation in the tourism industry and the Minister for Social Protection has previously told the House about the improvements resulting from JobBridge and the labour activation measures that were contained within it.

With regard to the wider issue of restoration of reputation, the reason this country's reputation has been restored is that the Government that is now in place enjoys confidence at home and respect abroad. The measures the Government has been pursuing, including the changes it has successfully secured in the bad agreement the previous Government made with the ECB and IMF, are producing results. Those results are seen abroad and are contributing to a better investment climate, which will create jobs and reduce the level of unemployment. Getting people back to work is the Government's main priority and will remain so until the level of unemployment is reduced sufficiently.

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