Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

This means they are getting multiple amounts compared with people working full-time for the State and doing much more important work. It is continuing with gay abandon and is disgraceful. I ask the Leader for an early debate on the matter. It is one of the big failures of the previous Government, which should have tackled it. I hope the current Government will not drag its feet in that regard.

I wish the Minister, Deputy Bruton, well today in his discussions with the Labour Party with regard to the JLCs and REAs. For the past three years I have been saying that it is not just a downward adjustment that is needed, but they should be suspended along with the minimum wage for a period of three years in order to try to generate employment. I have made this case in the House many times. I spoke to a representative of one of the major flagship multinationals based in this country that is recruiting significant numbers of staff. I was told that of every five people on the live register who are also on FÁS's list of people seeking employment, only one is interested in being interviewed and exploring the possibility of getting a job.

This is disgraceful. It is unsustainable in any economic climate and in the current climate, in which we are heading for the rocks, it is lunacy. Something needs to be done. I support the sensible proposals made by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton. I hope the Opposition parties will row in behind him and that people in the Labour Party who may be married to some failed ideologies will also see sense. It makes no sense to have people remain on the live register if there are jobs, albeit scare, to which we can direct them.