Alex White (Labour)

The Leas-Chathaoirleach has discretion to add on time at the end of my speech.

These divisive attacks on public sector workers are not helping. I seldom have occasion to quote the former Member of the other House, Mr. Joe Higgins. I remember hearing him in a debate against Mr. Michael O'Leary at the time of the Lisbon treaty. Michael O'Leary made the point that he created many jobs. I praise him for that and such people are exactly those we want active in our economy and society. Joe Higgins very effectively pointed out that if Michael O'Leary was in a road accident, which he hoped he would not be, and was at the roadside in grave danger and someone pulled up in a car, jumped out and announced she was a nurse, one would not turn around and ask how many jobs she had created this year.