Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The figures will prove they have been successful. Job creation is being achieved in job black spots as a result of retraining, upskilling and further education. There is ample evidence that as a result of retraining and upskilling, people who formerly worked in menial jobs in companies which did not pay well, are now in new, better paid jobs. I acknowledge there is still a major problem in terms of numbers of closures and jobs lost. The increasing challenge faced by FÁS and the Department to which I am attached is to continue to work to bring about training and upskilling and provide new job opportunities. I remind Senators that 28,000 new industrial jobs have been created as well as thousands of jobs in the service sector. They are all quite well paid and satisfying jobs. We should not underestimate the contribution made by the service sector to job creation.

I will make a final point which is political in nature. A debate was held before Christmas and a battle was fought. As far as I am concerned that battle was won. Senator Finucane referred to the Labour Party motion which was tabled in the other House. To be frank, the Labour Party motion was a political stunt——