James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I should like the Leader to invite the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the House for a debate on Ireland's drop in domestic competitiveness as a result of high business costs imposed by the Government. We must end the process by reducing the costs of business through the process of taxation by stealth. Rising costs are having a serious impact on businesses, particular small to medium-sized enterprises and it is important to review our industrial policy in the light of what is happening. We see, virtually on a daily basis, small companies folding up and moving elsewhere in Europe where they have better services and fewer stealth taxes, etc.

There is no evidence that the Government is doing anything as regards this whole issue. It stands idly by as jobs are being lost. We all received copies of the IDA Ireland report for 2005, which was published during the week. It was alarming to read that while something in the region of 12,000 jobs were created by IDA Ireland last year, some 9,000 were lost countrywide. That is a serious situation and needs to be addressed.

On the issue of Iarnród Éireann, as raised by my colleague, Senator Finucane, I had a similar experience last week where a number of people across the midlands were stranded on a train that had left Sligo. It had to change drivers at Maynooth, but no driver turned up there. As a result, a number of people travelling to the UK missed their flights. I wrote to Iarnród Éireann as regards compensation for those people, because they are entitled to it. The fault lies solely with Iarnród Éireann that they missed their flight and action must be taken. I want a debate in the House as soon as possible on the reliability of Iarnród Éireann.