Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

When a Senator who employs 100 people and provides financial assistance to 100 families every week of the year speaks on job creation and matters pertaining to it, we should listen seriously to her ideas, suggestions and concerns. I support what was said by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien. She is following the lead given two days ago by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames. I look forward to the Minister for Social Protection being in the House this afternoon and, I hope, putting to bed this mad idea of further penalising hard-pressed employers. We cannot have employees or jobs without employers. Our whole being must be focused on job creation and the support of employers. I look forward to hearing the Minister relieving our worries and concerns on that matter this afternoon.

My friends across the way appear very concerned at what they see as U-turns in education. Many of them will have served in this House or the Dáil with the former Leader of this House, Mrs. Mary O'Rourke. During her time as her party's education spokesperson Mrs. O'Rourke was very strident in her support of student unions and took part in, and almost led, marches to Croke Park. When she became Minister with responsibility for education she appeared to engage in a different set of proposals from those she had advocated months previously. She simply explained this to the Dáil by saying she was now on a different side of the House. This may be of some assistance to the Opposition Senators in explaining away their concerns.