Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Let us consider the prospects for Ireland. This morning the Government approved a consultation paper on the prospects of having an integrated marine policy. The group responsible for this paper is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Licence applications are being received in respect of major salmon aquaculture development projects which are worth in the region of €100 million and which could give rise to at least 300 jobs per unit. Such projects will be of enormous importance to the future of the economies of coastal regions and will give rise to the creation of jobs.

The streams for which the Ministers for Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation are responsible are absolutely critical to the future well-being of people whom the Deputy and everyone else present knows. We want to see imaginative and creative ways being utilised to take advantage of people's initiative and wish to contribute to their country. I do not like to see 450,000 people on the live register. I do not like to be told by individuals that they are obliged to stay home and watch daytime television. I do not like the fact that children are returning from school to homes in which no one has gone out to work that day. We have so much potential, but we must do this right. That is why the Government is now focused on more creative ways of producing this potential. The vast majority of people I meet want to work and want to contribute, but they expect somebody to ring the bell and say where the opportunity is. The marriage of social and economic policy is important for our people's confidence, well-being and contribution. We will focus on that over the next couple of weeks.

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