Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be embarrassed. In its last two budgets before it left office Fianna Fáil slashed core weekly payments on which citizens relied. In our case, as a Government, we restored the minimum wage, maintained core weekly payments and have a plan to restore the country's finances. That is why there is positivity regarding the 2,500 places available on the Tús scheme, which will increase numbers to 7,500. There are 2,500 new JobBridge places, which will increase the total to 8,500 and there are an additional 2,500 community employment scheme places, with 2,000 new places in local authority social employment schemes. These are to be welcomed. They are activating measures that will move people away from the hopelessness they feel and bring them towards measures which will enable them to find work in the future.

The Government has taken tough decisions. Unlike the second party on the Opposition benches, it does not bring with it a partition mentality on the island. I challenge Deputies Martin Ferris and Mary Lou McDonald. A true sense of republicanism------

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