Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

We will not oppose the Order of Business. The fallout from the job losses at Aviva continues to reverberate throughout the country. It is now obvious that there are some underlying difficulties affecting not only Aviva, but also the wider financial services industry. It seems apparent that our high cost base has led to job losses in many companies operating here, coupled with the meltdown in the financial services industry.

I suggest to the Leader that the Government should show greater commitment to encouraging more people to take out private pensions. It is extraordinary that at a time when the insurance industry, and the financial industry in general, is in meltdown the Government is proposing to further reduce the attractiveness of private pensions by imposing additional financial penalties on people. I refer in particular to the commitment in the programme for Government to reduce the tax rates, which is illogical. Over 50% of the workforce do not have private pensions. The National Pensions Reserve Fund set up by the former Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, has been raided to the point where it is now down to €5 billion. Unquestionably, there is a pensions time bomb looming if not for our generation then the next. When one considers that the Government took the initiative to introduce a levy of 1% on all premiums, a 0.6% levy on the private pension funds and a 2% levy on general insurance, which will take effect next year, it is not surprising that a major player, such as Aviva is pulling out of the country. What is particularly significant, however, are their reasons for leaving. It seems to be almost as a result of high wages and prices.

I suggest to the Leader that the Government must embark on an urgent review of the relationship between high prices and high wages. Mr. Brendan Keenan, a respected economist, states in today's Irish Independent that all of us, including politicians and trade union leaders, are justifying high wages because of higher prices. It is a vicious circle. Jobs will continue to be lost unless the Government takes action and I propose that the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, should outline the Government's response to these job loses in the House.

The Government cannot continue to wring its hands and blame the international trading environment or the euro crisis for what now seems to be the tip of the iceberg. Not only have jobs been lost in Aviva, but another 40 jobs have been lost overnight in the pharmaceutical company, Merk Sharp and Dohme, which has been in Rathdrum, County Wicklow since 1961.

It seems clear now there is a direct link between high prices and wages. It is a vicious cycle and it is past time to ensure we do not have a further haemorrhage of jobs and that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, should attend the House in advance of the budget and outline exactly what the Government is doing to protect the jobs we have. It is inevitable, sadly, that we will lose more jobs.

There is an article in today's newspaper about begging in our streets. The Roma gypsies are operating in the city centre and in towns and villages across the county. The Garda issued a statement that one Roma gypsy in Dublin, who was identified as a bare footed beggar, operating in the Grafton Street area was found to have €1,500 on him. According to the Garda he has more runners in his house than Footlocker because people are buying runners for him when they see him in his bare feet. I am sure the Leader will agree that well intentioned people should be actively discouraged from giving money to these people. I am not referring to people who are out begging because of economic circumstances.

This is a well controlled and organised group of Roma gypsies that are specifically operating here. There have been almost 500 prosecutions since the anti-begging laws were introduced in February 2011. Again, it might be worth considering a review of the begging laws. Begging in itself is not a criminal offence, it is the aggressive nature of begging that is the offence and it goes to show how aggressive they are that the Garda have secured 500 prosecutions. I am sure the Leader will agree with me that the good citizens, who are well intentioned in giving money to plaintive looking bare footed beggars, are contributing to a well organised crime syndicate. I praise the Garda for the manner in which this group has been identified. It arrested many of them.