Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Tá a fhios ag an Tánaiste an leagan a úsáidtear san iarthar, bhí orthu dul ar an mbád bán. The Tánaiste is probably familiar with a saying about emigration common in the west of Ireland, which is that people had to take the bád bán. Forced emigration and unemployment are two of the biggest challenges that we face. The Government programme made jobs a priority. We were promised a jobs budget, but we got a damp squib. We were told in the programme for Government that job creation is central to any recovery strategy. The Exchequer returns yesterday made very disturbing reading on this front. At the end of September, the USC income tax return was €125 million ahead of profile, and by the end of October, it had fallen to €147 million behind profile. That is a turnaround, relative to profile, of €372 million. When comparing forecast to forecast, we have had a massive turnaround in a month. The only logic that one can get from the figure is that there is a sudden downward trend in employment in the economy, despite the so called jobs initiative.

The live register is to be published today. The Tánaiste has the figures and I do not. However, one would expect it to show a decline at this time of the year. If it does show a decline, will that be because people are taking the bád bán and emigrating?

The Government's jobs initiative is in tatters and the pension funds were raided. All we seem to be getting is employment figures in decline. What hope can the Tánaiste give to the people of the country who are currently unemployed that the Government will tackle this issue and come to grips with it? For the Government to blame the situation is wearing thin, as it was elected on the basis that it would rectify all these issues and that it would deliver especially on jobs.

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