Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

When one thinks of the pain the people experienced when €4 billion was taken out of the economy in terms of income reduction and services etc. and that we threw €22 billion into Anglo Irish Bank, five times that amount, it necessitates a full debate in this House on the terms of reference of the banking commission and also on Anglo Irish Bank. Senator O'Toole was correct when he stated we need the headline figures. We need to know exactly. It is a shocking reflection on the way the House works that we had not already had this debate at the outset, with the figures and with the position presented as to why a particular line was taken.

I fully agree with Senator Coffey on the globalisation fund. I raised on the Adjournment a few weeks ago that we should be accessing the globalisation fund for those who are made redundant but, more importantly, in parallel, we should be trying to introduce a job creation and stimulus package. In this regard, the green energy sector offers considerable potential, particularly in terms of exporting energy supplies. It is a shocking reflection on the Government that, three years into its lifetime, it has put no credible jobs plan before the House. We should have been debating such a plan from it a couple of years ago. My party, in its NewEra policy document, has made a contribution to the jobs debate, but there has been no response. It is sad that unemployed people are watching us on "Oireachtas Report" and that we are not discussing the issue of job creation in a practical way.