Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I second the amendment tabled by Fine Gael and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, to the House.

I am an optimist by nature. I normally consider the glass to be half full rather than half empty. The Progressive Democrats' motion is aspirational in nature. However, if this discussion was taking place in five years' time, I would prefer to see the PDs in Government with Fianna Fáil rather than the latter party's favoured coalition partner, Sinn Féin. In that respect, the glass is half full and matters could be worse.

This Government is like a business and what it is doing, very often, is disregarding the core fundamentals of business. What this Government has done, with the PDs, is lease out everything. It has leased everything out to other interests and to consultants and is not dealing with the core business.

I come from a small business background and I see many small businesses which cannot compete anymore. They cannot compete because of high stealth charges. Bin charges rose by 29% in 2002 and have increased further. Yesterday I had to write a cheque for the private bin collection operator in my area, for 18 months service. The operator collects cardboard and general rubbish from small newsagents. The bin charge was €4,100. How can any small business survive in the face of such escalating costs?

Bank card charges have risen by 108%. The minimum wage was introduced, which I welcome, but it means that many smaller businesses cannot compete. Rates and insurance have also increased, though admittedly they have been scaled back somewhat in the past year.

In the past five or six years many small businesses, including pubs, shops; and small manufacturers, have gone out of business. If one looks around Ireland, and particularly Dublin, most of the small corner shop owners consider it better to lease their premises rather than continue in business. This Government has leased its responsibility to other departments. Now shop owners are lucky if they can lease their premises. They are deciding not to carry on in business and are leasing their property for apartment developments or to another agency to run a business.

If people visit me in my office and tell me they are thinking of setting up in manufacturing or setting up their own business, I tell them not to bother. I tell them if they can get elected, that is fine, but if they can get a job in the health service, the local authority or with the Government, they will have paid holidays, a pension and benchmarked pay increases, without anybody asking them to improve their service delivery. That is what is wrong. This Government has leased out responsibility.