Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

People will note the Government is listing the number of its action plans when people would prefer the Government to deal with the jobs problem. While the Government's jobs action plan has some good points, the proportion of the problem and the proportion of the proposed solution are not meeting up, unfortunately. Enterprise Ireland created a net number of six new jobs last year. This is a phenomenal figure considering the problems we face.

The Department forecasted an unemployment rate of 14.3% to the end of the year but it is currently 14.9% and there was a collapse in the growth figures for the first quarter of last year. The Government should set out its job creation targets for the future. If the Government cannot measure it cannot manage. We will arrive at 2016 with no targets achieved. It is time the Government realises the necessity for a Government-led multi-billion euro stimulus for the economy. The funds are available in the National Pensions Reserve Fund and a well-disposed private pensions industry and the European Investment Bank.

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