Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I participated in the official launch of a small pottery business in Cork last Saturday. There was a great buzz in the place, a great positive approach, and a determination on the part of that business that it together with other businesses in the craft sector would be consolidated and would achieve their full potential. A long way from Cork in Shanghai in China, the World Expo is getting under way. Almost 300 countries are participating in it. Ireland will have a major pavilion at it and several million people will pass though it during the six months of the expo, which President Mary McAleese will visit on 17 June.

I grouped those two issues together because the building up of employment will depend to a great extent on indigenous industries, including tourism, and we are also promoting products that are exclusive to this country on the world market.

I ask the Leader to consider setting aside not a few hours but two days in the next few weeks for a debate on this area in this Chamber and to invite to it four of the senior Ministers directly connected with training and employment. Such a debate would present an opportunity in a formal and structured way to examine the multifaceted and complex nature of rebuilding the employment structure of this country. Similar to a house of cards, the recession came in on top of us and the structure was crippled. We will have to rebuild the economy and create meaningful employment for the large numbers unemployed in a step by step way. For that reason, a coherent approach must be taken to such a debate. If the Leader were to make this possible, this Chamber could be central to a resuscitation of the employment in this country. I hope the Leader will give consideration to this request.