Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

The forthcoming budget and the thought of more cuts is certainly focusing people's minds. How will the Government help people to keep their homes if it continues to cut away at their ability to repay? We can say there should be 20% more cuts in the public service. We know that 200,000 jobs have been lost in the private sector since this recession took hold. What real solutions will the Government put forward while we sort out the public finances to help ordinary people keep their heads above water? Real solutions involve them keeping their homes.

The Leader should ask the Minister for Education and Science to come before the House for two reasons. What initiatives will she put in place to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit among our second level kids? The over emphasis on exams at second level means that an important piece of creativity is being lost. Entrepreneurship is the key to our recovery. Senator Leyden pointed out that the number of VECs will be cut in half. How will that pan out in practice? Will programmes will be cut? Who will lose as a result? VECs have been there for the weakest in society. The Minister needs to come in here to address those issues as quickly as possible.