Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I want to pick up on an issue raised in the House previously and raised just now by Senator Fitzgerald, that is, the loss of teaching posts. When the cuts were announced weeks or months ago, I made the point it would cost 1,000 jobs. The Government side stated the figure would be between 200 and 300. I have analysed the list with the INTO and am absolutely certain it will be 1,000 jobs. The least we should demand is for the Minister for Education and Science to explain how he made his calculation so we can decide whether we were misled deliberately or the Department or those in Government circles just cannot count. We need to see the facts rather than shout abuse across the floor at each other. When we obtain the relevant information, we can debate it. I ask the Leader to prioritise that issue.

President Obama made a highly aspirational speech last night which, while saying very little, raised people from their bootstraps. He sought a united front and to jazz up the whole world. That is extraordinary by comparison with what is occurring here in that, while the Opposition parties have offered their hands across the House to deal with the economic problems in a united manner, the Government has rejected them. ICTU has published a ten-point plan and I have heard nobody reject it out of hand thus far. Various politicians on the Government side have said it is worth discussing. That is another offer of support but it seems it is being rejected also. Bearing in mind that the Minister for Finance asked us some months ago to adopt a patriotic perspective, it is a bit odd that the hand of friendship and support is being rejected when offered.

We will have a chance to discuss some of these issues tonight. The Government's decision on the Fine Gael motion today is simply so old-fashioned and untimely that it demeans politics. If there were points the Government did not agree with, it could have left them out and retained some of the positive measures. I ask that we have a real debate on that tonight in which people will state genuinely what is worth doing and what we might do.

I congratulate the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement on the measure it is taking, although some will say it is too late. When a murder takes place, it is very often weeks before somebody is arrested and two years before the case – I refer to a simple murder case — comes to court. It is often some time after the event before we see action. Where the banks are concerned, we are dealing with the richest people in the country who can buy the best lawyers and the best defence. For the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement or the Garda fraud squad to rush in blindly to address the banking scandal would be absolutely stupid. I want to know they are working on it. I was glad to see the images last night and I am looking forward to the results. However, the matter needs to be addressed properly, forensically, progressively and effectively.