Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I also propose, with the permission of the House, that the Minister will be called upon at 3.45 p.m. and will have 15 minutes to respond to points made by Senators.

Senators Cummins, O'Toole, Hannigan, Ó Murchú, Coghlan, Harris, Ormonde, Healy Eames, McCarthy, Regan, Buttimer and Ross expressed their serious concerns about the economy, especially with regard to the new unemployment figures. It is a serious and difficult time for all of us in the Oireachtas, and for the people, in particular those who are unemployed and those who have been let go, especially people who never experienced this before. We must be confident that the measures announced by Government in the past 48 hours are the start of what will be the corrective path to assist these people. As Senators have noted this morning, our priority must be the creation of jobs. Senator Keaveney asked for a debate on innovation and the role of the entrepreneur. That must be our preoccupation. Senator Ross is correct. The ESB is not leading by example in any national sense. I heard the interviews on the radio this morning. The Minister said he expects energy costs will be reduced to double digit figures. They are unsustainable now.