Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

We must be mature and serious about embracing this opportunity. I ask in this context for a debate on the issue of employment so that we can feed into the process. Over recent days we have seen IBEC, the Union of Students in Ireland and Social Justice Ireland come up with a number of proposals for extensive internship programmes. In particular, Social Justice Ireland, which is Fr. Seán Healy's organisation, cast its mind back to a pilot programme done by a coalition Government between 1994 and 1998 whereby the long-term unemployed could get part-time employment and were paid the hourly rate for it. They worked the number of hours equal to the social welfare rate of the day with a little top-up. Social Justice Ireland believes up to 100,000 part-time jobs could be created in this regard, which would be worthwhile. With the IBEC and USI proposals for an internship programme, it could form a fantastic solution for very difficult times.

I also ask for a debate on how best to invest the National Pensions Reserve Fund. I would like to explore the possibility of investing €4 billion of this with the State effectively taking equity in the small and medium enterprises sector. That would provide a good stimulus to that end of the economy, which it requires, and the businesses could be given the opportunity to buy the equity back over three to five years. These are the kinds of ideas, whether unfounded or not, I put forward. I would like to hear from the Opposition parties to see whether their ideas can form part of the plan for the next four years.