Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

My questions concern the sub-committee on economic recovery and jobs and the number of times it has met, and the Cabinet sub-committee on economic infrastructure. One of the Government's defining characteristics is its capacity to make claims that fly in the face of reality. The Government praised the budget for being fair and protecting front-line services whereas we know it did the opposite, as it was unfair and hit front-line services dramatically, as we know from tonight's Private Members' business motion concerning small rural schools.

The same point is applicable to the jobs agenda. Last year, we had the downgraded jobs initiative, which cost jobs, undermined private pensions and took money from pensioners. Where will the much-heralded growth in jobs come from? Can the Taoiseach tell us if the Cabinet sub-committee on economic recovery and jobs will oversee the new jobs strategy, which the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, has been briefing the media about? Is there a concrete time limit on its work?

I will ask a separate question on economic infrastructure, referring to Question No. 8, after the Taoiseach's response to this question on the Cabinet sub-committee economic recovery. The Taoiseach has grouped all the questions together.

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