Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I join Senators McFadden, O'Toole and Alex White in welcoming the announcement yesterday on the recession coming to an end. We must be seriously concerned, however, because we know jobs will not emerge from the improved figures for a considerable time, perhaps a year or 18 months. I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe this morning on the new 100 jobs in Galway. I remind the House that 1.87 million people are still at work in Ireland, but there is a serious challenge facing both Houses of the Oireachtas on high unemployment. I shall support anything that may be done to address this, in any shape or form.

I join Senator McFadden and her colleague, Deputy O'Rourke in welcoming the big announcement for Athlone. Please God it will come to fruition, that is, the potential massive investment in County Westmeath by Chinese investors. In the event, it would be a dream come true.

Senators McFadden, Coffey, Walsh, Ó Brolcháin, Buttimer, Regan, Dearey, Cummins and Bacik all had strong views on waste management and everything to do with the proposed Poolbeg incinerator. I remind colleagues that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, will be in the House tomorrow with a Bill. We should get an up-date on that and avail of it on Second Stage, while he is in the House.