Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I join with Senators Donohoe and Boyle in their call for a debate on the economy. We have listened, in the past few weeks, to Members on the Government side of the House breathlessly defend the Government's economic policy over the past 11 years. It is fair to say that the boom and bloom is over and the champagne days have been wasted by the Government. The human consequences are clear. Senator Boyle will raise on the Adjournment the matter of the staff of the Freescale Semiconductors Ireland Ltd. in Cork. Quality graduate jobs will be lost, but may hopefully be saved. This is a visible human consequence when quality people are let go. This is the legacy of the mismanagement of the golden period of the Irish economy.

Yesterday, I raised the issue of the Irish rail dispute in counties Cork and Kerry. I am an advocate of trade unionism. However, there is an obligation on all sides to resolve the dispute, including the Minister for Transport, and especially on the board and management of Iarnród Éireann to manage its affairs properly. The end result is that the people of Cork have been discommoded. The economic outlook for the region is dependant on people being ferried in and out of Cork. It behoves the Government——