Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Recent disclosures of excesses at FÁS and yesterday's events involving the Ceann Comhairle and ministerial expenses can only be described as a line in the sand as to how the Oireachtas and Ministers should do their business and how hard earned public money should be spent. The issue of reform must be on the agenda. The Ceann Comhairle has reached the correct decision to resign. He is the third highest officeholder in the Oireachtas and his position was untenable. Fine Gael believes he should step down today rather than wait for a week and we need to get on with the serious business of dealing with the challenges facing the country. It is important that the Ceann Comhairle's position is not seen in isolation. It is symptomatic of the culture of waste and lavishness of the years of the Celtic tiger.

I spoke yesterday about the new FÁS legislation. While we need to see signs of reform we cannot see it in that legislation. Will the Leader invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment into the House to explain how we will get value for money from FÁS, why she will not have a more open process for the appointments to its board, and why she will not use an Oireachtas committee to consider the appointees rather than rely on ministerial decision? This is the wrong approach. If the Government were serious about reform it would take a different approach. This is just one example of an opportunity for reform which has not been taken.

We are asking members of the public to tighten their belts. Yesterday Senator Alex White asked a very reasonable question about the Government's approach to the McCarthy report and the taxation report. We have not seen leadership in respect of the hard decisions that must be taken. The workers in Aer Lingus who are about to lose their jobs will get no golden handshake or deferred resignation. There were scenes of great distress at Intel among the employees who were told yesterday they were losing their jobs. I said we need a debate on job protection, job creation and support for employers. I call again for the Tánaiste to come to the House for a serious debate on those unemployment queues and the proactive decisions the Government needs to make to help those on those queues which are increasing daily.