Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. While I welcome publication of the Government's progress report, the real measure of its first year in office is the 7,000 citizens who pre-registered for a jobs expo held at the RDS in Dublin last weekend. This means 7,000 people paid a pre-registration fee to leave the State. The programme for Government, if I reflect it accurately, contained commitments in respect of a strategic investment bank and jobs fund. Before the general election the Taoiseach promised a €7 billion stimulus package, yet he has not brought forward credible Government-led investment proposals. The progress report fails to deal with the Government's broken promises such as its commitments not to put one red cent into banks or increase third level fees and its commitment to make major investments in job creation. Is this the same progress report the Government planned to launch with great razzmatazz on Merrion Square before cancelling the event? I am disappointed the report commits to the failed policy of austerity which is stifling growth and adding more people to the dole queues and emigration trail. I ask the Taoiseach to address the failures I have outlined. I have put to the Taoiseach a genuine, costed proposition for a €13 billion Government-led investment package to get people off the dole queues and back into work. Will he commit to this package or, in the event that he believes it will not work or does not like it, outline a better proposition, given that the programme for Government contained specific propositions to deal with this very issue?

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