Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

We all agree that job creation is the most important objective because it is clear that if one gets people back to work, they are paying taxes and not receiving social welfare and it has a dynamic that goes beyond the good of the individual who is at work. Will the approach be targeted at certain sectors? Earlier this year, the Government announced that it would boost tourism by cutting the lower rate of VAT, which would create a stimulus to jobs in that area. Now, we hear there is to be an increase in the upper rate of VAT. Will that not be a counter-balance?

The Government's capital budget has been reduced. We expected shovel-ready projects but some of these have been scaled back significantly. Will that impact on the 110,000 jobs the Government had targeted?

There appears to be greater intervention at the level of multinational companies and foreign direct investment. Enterprise Ireland and the county enterprise boards seem to be slow to change. We have been waiting for some initiatives in the county enterprise board sector. The last time I asked a question about these initiatives I was told they were due to be announced. Unless we get those things right I cannot see how those sectors will be resourced to create jobs. Reform in those sectors seems to be taking a little longer than I anticipated. If jobs are the centre-piece of Government policy should that reform not be to the forefront and should we not have seen something sooner?

See this speech in context