Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Let us have a new pillar in social partnership. To quote the cliche, we have lost a generational opportunity for reform of the public sector. Senators Butler, Regan and I served on local authorities where there was roll-out of local government reform. What did it mean? We created no new posts only new directors in various positions. In certain places one goes beyond the switchboard which is the first port of call and get answering machines but not answers. Whatever one may say about the HSE, it will return one's call and say one cannot do this or that.

This budget is about choices and decisions and the Minister made the wrong ones. He cut from the capital programme. There is nothing in it for the Cork docklands, no stimulus and no jobs. We must get people off the dole queue and back to work. It is wrong that somebody would be better off on social welfare than in a job.