John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the current situation in the public sector as regards the go slow? I hope there will not be an escalation because, undoubtedly and to paraphrase Joyce, the good times are coming be they ever so far away. They might not be far away and, in the future, the unions will again sit down with the Government and say they participated fully in Ireland's recovery. It will be more difficult to say they participated fully if they resort to strikes. It is easy to make a decision when there is no choice and it was a necessity for the Government to take the action it took.

I also ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the EU direction that has correctly been given, and should have been given a long time ago, that the Central Bank take priority over the Financial Regulator. That this has not been done until now has led to many problems in our financial situation. It has finally been addressed and now the Central Bank, the paymaster, is really calling the tune. There should be one central body. This was a difficulty in the past because divided responsibility means that nobody takes responsibility.

Will the Leader arrange for an ongoing debate on jobs? Having dealt with the difficulties of regulating the banks, thus ensuring their stability, and regulating the economy and the public finances during the previous term, the House must now focus fully on jobs. In particular, I support the buy Irish campaign. We can do a great deal in this House, and we should be doing that work.