Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I support the comments made by Senator Coffey. This morning 50,000 students are finishing their leaving certificate and they are bereft of hope. They see a Government with no vision and no plan and their future as one of idleness from which they will be forced to emigrate. That is not what we want for them or the Ireland we want to have in the 21st century.

Senator McCarthy spoke this morning about the proposed €3 billion cuts. Will the Leader invite the Taoiseach, who has not been to this House, to come to this House to outline where he intends to find the €3 billion cuts? We should have an honest debate on that and start the pre-budget debate in this House, as there are important issues to be addressed. The Government does not have a jobs plan. The number of people under the age of 25 who are unemployed is staggering. That is a sad indictment on the Green Party and on Fianna Fáil, in particular. That is the reality. If one canvasses any day and talks to young people, they will say they are at home, watching television, that they cannot go anywhere, that they see no future for themselves and they will ask why should they bother. It is a disgrace.