Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, and wish him continued success in his Ministry. I also welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the quarterly national household survey. These figures are marked proof of the effectiveness of Government policies in the areas employment and the labour market.

Our recent economic success has been remarkable. In the second quarter of 2005, there were over 2 million persons in the labour force which represents an annual increase of 94,500, or 4.9%. This is the highest year-on-year increase recorded in absolute terms since the quarterly national household survey commenced, surpassing the record annual increases attained at the end of the last decade.

Over this past ten years, since Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, the labour force has grown by 556,000 people, or over 38%. The number of females in the workforce has increased by over 300,000, or almost 55%, while the number of males has increased by 254,000 or 28%. For every five people entering the workforce, three are female. This is a remarkable opportunity which has been created by the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government. There are 165,000 companies operating in Ireland compared with 147,000 ten years ago. Indeed, the Minister of State has contributed greatly to that in his work as Minister of State with responsibility for trade. Trade is vital to the development of these companies. The major growth in our economy over recent years has been accompanied by a rise in corporate profits due to increased exports and import markets. The fact that corporation tax is at a particular level has been a major benefit to this country.

Unemployment is at an all time low and the total number of income tax payers has risen substantially since the early 1980s. Apparently, we face a period when we may not be able to recruit enough workers to staff the expansion in our economy, which is good thing. The Employment Permits Bill 2005, introduced in the Dáil last week, includes provision for a more managed economic migration policy, including continual assessment of skill and labour needs going forward. The focus of this policy will be to effectively and efficiently facilitate the entry into Ireland of people with skills which are needed but which we cannot source from within Ireland or the EEA. This is a very progressive policy brought forward by the Minister of State and his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Martin.

The high growth in employment indicates how well the economy is doing and how important it is that we can absorb increases in the labour force both from the domestic front and from abroad. This would have been an unthinkable prospect in the 1980s when all one seemed to hear were news reports from around the country of more business closures and towns losing their big employers. The figures from the latest report are marked proof of the effectiveness of Government policies in the areas of employment and the labour market. Our recent economic success has been remarkable.

Sustaining economic growth is crucial to our capacity to tackle poverty. It provides both jobs and resources which are required if poverty is to be tackled in the years ahead. To maintain economic and employment growth policy makers must ensure Ireland's competitiveness in a global economy and continue public and private investment in public infrastructure and productive activities. That is why I particularly welcome the launch yesterday of Transport 21. It is a brilliant plan for the 21st century and I compliment the Government on this €34.4 billion transport initiative.