Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The information the Deputy is requesting is freely available by way of parliamentary questions. I am not going to waste the time of the House by going through every single cut introduced by the previous Administration because it crashed the economy.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh referred to the recovery. It has started, but, unfortunately, not for everybody. I welcome the unemployment figures announced yesterday which show that the has rate dropped below 9% for the first time. The number in employment has increased by 56,000 in the past 12 months, while we have seen a drop in the number of those in part-time work as they move into full-time work. Over 1,100 people return to full-time employment every week, which must be welcomed. When somebody finds a full-time job, the recovery is under way. For the many thousands who have not been able to get back into employment, I accept that they are not feeling it. However, it is the Government’s determination to get back to a position where there is full employment.

I do not see the point of inserting Deputy Willie O’Dea’s amendment in the Bill. The information is available by way of parliamentary questions, as well as being available in pre-budget consultations. It is up to this and future Governments to decide how increased resources should be spent. I will not be accepting the amendment, but I thank the Deputy for his good wishes.

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