Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State and remind him that he is vested with the power of a Minister of State. I remind him that he is also an elected representative for the people of Cork. He spoke about a stimulus but this budget has no stimulus package. The Cork docklands, with which the Minister of State is familiar, have been cast to one side. Other Senators mentioned the national spatial strategy and the national development plan. This budget has nothing to offer as a stimulus. I applaud the Minister of State for his great speech but I remind him that he is not a director of IBEC, he is a Minister of State.

Senator Quinn and others are living in parallel universes. Fine Gael has shown willingness and has embarked on a plan for the economic recovery of the nation. We have put forward an alternative vision to the budget and a jobs creation package and, along with the National Competitiveness Council, we have identified exorbitant business costs and bottlenecks in energy, broadband and water infrastructure. In rebuttal of the remarks of the Minister of State, the Fine Gael budget is fully costed and contains a comprehensive set of proposals to get the country back to work. The fundamental task we have is to get people off welfare, out of poverty and working. Job creation is very important. I understand the embarrassment of Members on the Government side about this budget. They are getting a pummelling at the doors and in the pubs.