Shane Ross (Independent)

Even the Labour Party does not wish to do this. It is the only split we can identify between it and its brethren. However, it is important. Why must we continuously refer to the strong men of old Ireland when the boom comes from new Ireland?

It is significant the Minister referred to social partnership. By this he means trade unions because IBEC does not matter but must be included to keep it happy. Why must he defer to them when we all know a future boom will come from people who are not part of social partnership, namely, the multinationals? I would like to have seen more concentration on them in the national development plan. I am sick and tired of hearing about social inclusion, the social partners and such verbiage which is old Ireland and the old economy.

Did anybody in the Department of Finance read the US Chamber of Commerce submission on the national development plan? I sometimes wonder. It was full of dire warnings about the Irish economy. It warned that US and other multinationals would not come here unless certain priorities were observed. I do not see any of those priorities in the Minister's speech.

I see tokenism where the Minister mentioned an amount of €20 billion to be invested in the promotion of enterprise, science and innovation. It is a wonderful figure. I do not know where it came from. He also mentioned various matters which to me fall under the category of grants. It is giving money away to keep a few vested interests happy.

He ought to have considered what will keep the economy buzzing according to the wishes of the multinationals which are, whether we like it or not, fuelling the boom on which we depend. They will provide the 4.5% growth he wrongly assumes will happen for the next six or seven years. It might be 8%, 3% or 1%. It might be negative. Nobody knows. It is a convenient figure for a pre-election programme. It sounds reasonable and neither too big nor too small. One can spend a great deal of other people's money when one assumes 4.5% growth.

I feel split on this motion and do not know what is the right way to vote. The Government has done a wonderful job on the economy which should be recognised. However, I fear this programme is not visionary. It is a purely aspirational spending programme and a fantasy.