Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate, on which the Opposition is making much hay. The Fianna Fáil leader, Deputy Martin, argued yesterday that the House is spending too much time discussing the Government's priorities. It is important to take time to discuss from where we have come in the past three years and where we will go in the next two years. The purpose of these statements is to discuss the Government's priorities for the years ahead, not to slap ourselves on the back and say we have done a good job. Our task is not even half finished.

The coalition has been working together for three years. I recall knocking on doors in February 2011 during the general election campaign. I had never experienced such anger on the doorsteps. In some cases, people were so angry that it did not matter which party the canvasser represented. Members of the public wanted to let off steam and we all became fair game, which was completely understandable given that the terrible state in which Fianna Fáil and its supporters had left the country. Matters have moved on in the intervening years. I was canvassing in County Meath recently for the local elections and while people are still angry, they are allowing themselves to be a little more optimistic about the future. We must continue to build on this optimism.

The decisions the Government has taken, often under intense political pressure, are making a difference. The results of our tough decisions include a reduction in unemployment from 15% at the time the Fianna Fáil Party left office to 12% today. While this figure is still too high, we are on the right trajectory and the number of jobs is no longer declining. In recent months, 1,200 jobs have been created each week. The economy is growing as opposed to receding, as was the case when the Government took office, and there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists. The growing number of foreign visitors is generating jobs in the hospitality industry. While there are signs that things are improving, it would be foolish to believe we have done enough. Much remains to be done to ensure Ireland is never again required to go begging and borrowing around the world.

People need to know what the Government plans to do in its final two years in order that they can feel confident that the recovery will last. They need to trust that jobs and opportunities will be created. Stability is the key to real recovery. If a business owner in Ratoath or Duleek is considering taking on more staff or expanding his or her business, he or she needs to know if people will have more income in their pockets to spend in that business.

We must be clear about what we intend to do to reduce pressure on the squeezed middle, in other words, hard-pressed families. Government expenditure on local projects can also help generate additional income in communities. If people see money being spent on capital projects, they will take the Government seriously when it states it wants recovery to continue. My colleagues, Deputies Robert Dowds and Anne Ferris, referred to the need for new social housing. Investment in new social housing schemes not only benefits families who are currently without a home but also provides employment in the construction sector which, as Deputies are aware, badly needs a boost.

The Government was elected to deliver social reform and an economic programme. Our social reform agenda spans education, children's rights and industrial relations. There are more children at school than at any time in the history of the State. For this reason, we must build new schools, as is being done in Ashbourne, Kells, Duleek and Ratoath in County Meath, to address the increase in children entering the education system. We must pass the education Bill to ensure all children have equal access to education. Access to one's local school should not depend on where one's brother or sister went to school or the religious beliefs of one's parents.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce collective bargaining. It is time this commitment was realised because collective bargaining is a right rather than a privilege. The Government still has two years to make a difference and ensure the recovery is sustainable. We must redouble our efforts to focus on jobs and the economy, without forgetting to introduce our important social reform programme.

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