Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

No, I do not get the impression that there is an assumption that small and medium enterprises and employers are under attack from the Government. People throughout the country understand that the difference between what we take in and what we spend is quite significant. The problem will not be dealt with by thinking about it, it requires political action. That is why this Government has made it a priority that jobs and those who create them deserve support and will continue to receive support. With the current crisis and the uncertainty in the banking sector, the Government has introduced the partial loan credit guarantee scheme and introduced the microfinance agency scheme to allow access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and for employers who want to take on new employees. That is why the Government negotiated with the troika to rejig the memorandum of understanding to allow for a reduction in VAT in the hospitality sector. That is why the Government rejigged the universal social charge and has clearly set out its emphasis of trying to reduce an unemployment level that is much too high where the indigenous economy has suffered from a serious lack of confidence. That is why the Government appointed a specific Minister of State to deal with small businesses.

The Government will make a decision about the budget for 2013. What is clear is that we have set targets in respect of the ceilings allocated to each Department for the three years ahead. We set out to achieve the reduction of 7.6% by the end of 2013. I have no intention of speculating on comments arising from the matters raised by Deputy Martin. These are matters for the Government to decide as a Cabinet and it is in the people's interest that, when the decisions are made by the Government in respect of the budget, there should be full, open and public debate about how the decisions are arrived at and the reasons behind them. Beyond that, I do not wish to go.

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