Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It has been a difficult six years for many people in this country with the collapse of the economy and the collapse in the Irish banking system. The outgoing Government and this Government have invested much of their time in the attempt to repair the banking system and regenerate the economy. We are coming from a very bad place because Ireland's reputation suffered greatly as a result of the economic collapse and the banking collapse, not just in terms of ourselves as citizens of the State but internationally also. Someone described inward investment to Ireland in 2008 as being similar to switching off a tap because everything that could go wrong for this country went wrong.

Depending on one's resources, financial standing etc. different sections of society dealt with the collapse in a different way but we should never forget that some people suffered more than others. The thousands of people forced to leave this country, the almost 500,000 people who found themselves without work and on the dole, and people whose homes were threatened due to insecure mortgages are ongoing problems. It is a testament to the character of Irish people that they had any hope to continue in the past six years, given what happened, but I believe we are in a better place today than we were six years ago or even three years ago. That is not to suggest that everything is rectified; it is not.

In commentary both inside this House and outside it I have always found alarming the notion that the new Government that came in three years ago would suddenly find employment for almost 500,000 people and that, in the space of 36 months, it would be able to fix the economy, the banking system etc. Some of the commentary and the narrative has been nothing short of ridiculous. There is not a country in the history of the world whose economy and banking system collapsed but was repaired in 36 months.

Following on from that we are now in a post-bailout system. As politicians we must be mindful not so much of what we want but what the people want. Using the words of those who have suffered the most - those who lost their jobs or were forced to emigrate - people like us should be trying to protect and enhance their future as citizens of this State, be it in terms of employment or protecting the homes of those in difficulties with mortgages etc. Those are the sort of priorities we should focus on in the years ahead, in other words, the people who suffered the most should be out front.

I dislike the phrases "We are all in this together" and "Everyone suffered." That is nonsense. We are not all in this together. The reality is that there are people untouched by the collapse of this economy because of their wealth. In the history of the world it is always the ordinary working man and woman who take the hiding, so to speak, in this situation. We must be mindful of that in terms of what I said earlier and what Deputy Nolan referred to in his contribution about people's welfare. That is the priority.

Leaving aside the recent past what is happening now is that politicians on both sides of the House are rebuilding this country after the tragic loss in terms of the economy and so on but talk of repairing it in 36 months is nonsense. Improvements, albeit marginal improvements, are being made but for ordinary people hope is what they hold onto, namely, the hope of getting a job, having a home and being able to stay in their home. The function of politicians is to generate solutions to these issues and to give people hope and confidence in their future and that of their families. That is not happening at the rate all of us would wish but, nevertheless, there is movement.

To use my constituency as an example, unfortunately, we have the highest level of unemployment in the State, much of it focused around construction workers, tradespeople etc., but we have had notice of a large extension to The Square shopping centre, with an investment of over €50 million. When the planning process is completed construction on the site will involve 170 people and when the project is completed it will provide jobs for almost 400 people. We had also the recent announcement by the Department of Health on an urgent care centre to be located not far from The Square site involving an investment of almost €30 million. That, too, will bring much-needed construction jobs to the area, and one or two more minor construction projects are due to come on-stream also. I am talking about my constituency but these are the type of projects that give people hope because they have been battered, so to speak, something to which all speakers have alluded. Economic recovery is good for everyone because the vast majority of people who are without work want to work, and we should afford them that opportunity.

In terms of the priorities and what we should focus on whether in the year ahead, two years ahead or five years ahead, job creation is the most important issue. It will give people the opportunity of getting up in the morning, going to work and having an independent, disposable income, which gives them back their self-esteem and confidence. The other aspect is that the more people who are working, the more who are paying taxation, and we all know the benefits of that. We can have a better society in which to live and better facilities in the country. Let us look forward to the future in the hope that those who have suffered the most in the past six years will be given hope.

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