Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Every day in this country businesses are facing ever more pressure. As every Senator will be aware, unemployment is rising. We frequently meet people at the doors where there is not just one person unemployed but a family of three and four. If it is not direct family members, it is in-laws or daughters' sons who have lost their jobs and one meets parents worrying about mortgage repayments and how their sons and daughters in turn will pay their mortgages.

It is disturbing to read the words of the former Minister of State, Deputy John McGuinness. It is quite shocking to read in the Irish Examiner what he said. He spoke about the inefficiency and lack of professionalism that confronted him at both political and bureaucratic levels within the Department tasked with the job of supporting our businesses and enterprise, and putting the initiatives in the budget that will help business. Of course we did not see these initiatives in the budget and businesses are waiting nearly 18 months for the kind of support they need to maintain and protect jobs.

I want to move an amendment to the Order of Business, to ask for an urgent debate on job creation, job protection and training. This is an internal Government spat. People watching it really are disgusted because they want to see a plan to ensure jobs can be protected and created, and that people will have access to the kind of training they need and not be left at home for months on end having lost their job with no possibility of retraining or entering employment again. That is where the focus should be. That is to where we must bring the focus back and I want to see this House bringing the focus back to that today.