Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

My question to the Leader concerns when the Government will be serious about tackling smoking and tobacco smuggling. I compliment the Irish Cancer Society for its efforts regarding the forthcoming national daffodil day. It is important to put the issue on the agenda. It is on the clár for today but we need to do more about smoking and ask people to abstain from it.

My fundamental question for the Leader concerns whether the Government still understands the value of a job and employment in this country. As Senator Ross correctly said, we have a Government which is a stakeholder in the DAA and Aer Lingus and a Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment who cannot seem to bring jobs to this country and who has insulted young people by her comments regarding emigration. It is high time the Government published its policy on job creation or outlined whether the smoke screen which is Government policy has finally puffed away and it has no job creation policy. I am alarmed at the principled members of the Green Party who are sitting with their hands on their backsides, assisting Government in its lack of action.