Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I thank Fine Gael for tabling the motion, as this is an important debate. A tough budget has been passed and we need to focus on providing a stimulus in a big way.

I welcome Senator Quinn's comments because he has great experience of recessions and been involved in setting up forward-thinking companies in difficult times. We should reflect on his experience. As a Green Party member, I will refer to the green stimulus package. The Government is bringing forward interesting initiatives and more will follow. I am sure Senator Boyle has highlighted the Green New Deal, but, according to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, we are suffering through two great crises - one is the economic crisis and the other, the lack of energy resources. He believes both crises can be solved simultaneously. By using the Green New Deal to develop renewable technologies and create a sustainable future, we can solve them together. This presents a great opportunity for us.

I am from Galway and refer to the document, Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region, published recently by the Western Development Commission. The number at work between counties Clare and Donegal is almost 250,000. People do not realise how many work in the west. Galway city, where I live, has 64,000 jobs, even though the city's population is not much larger this figure. Many commute to work. One of the campaigns of which I am proudest is that launched to open the western rail corridor. Commentators say nothing is happening under the Government and that there is no stimulus. The corridor was due to open on 9 January 2010, but, unfortunately, that has been put back as a result of the recent flooding in County Galway, which is another issue. It will open as soon as possible in the new year and people will be able to travel between the second, third and fourth largest cities in the country. The fact that they could not do so prior to this is appalling. The ability to travel by rail between Limerick and Galway will provide a great boost for business and be a great stimulus.

I am a great believer in the national spatial strategy. The focus on stimulating and creating jobs in Dublin alone is not the way forward. We must examine stimuli on a regional basis. I regret, therefore, that the focus on the eastern region. It is important that Senators from the west stick up for the region because the focus is too much on jobs in the east.