Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the Minister in regard to procurement. There is a need for us to jobs proof everything decided across all policy areas because jobs should be the number 2 issue. The number 1 issue, which will best assist jobs, is restoring consumer confidence.

The partisan politics, in particular in the Dáil, which occurred over the past three years, were an absolute shame. It did not occur in other countries, such as Sweden and Portugal, which had issues in the 1990s and now. I agree with what the Minister said but it rings a bit hollow coming from those who, over the past three years, did not put the national interest ahead of their own self-interest and party interest.

I refer to the macro issue of cutting capital expenditure by €750 million. It is much easier to do that than to cut current expenditure. The worst may still be to come. I refer to what is happening in the eurozone. Will it survive? That is highly questionable. Will the European Union survive? It probably will. What will happen in China? I refer to the US where they cannot reach agreement on budget figures, again for partisan political reasons. It means we are very exposed as an open economy dependent on our exports. We have an export-driven economy. If that is dented and unless we get consumer growth, which will be very difficult to achieve, we face dire difficulties. The one thing capital expenditure does is it creates jobs in the short term but above all, it improves our competitiveness in the medium term. That argument and debate needs to take place.

The structural weaknesses mentioned-----