David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

Several issues were raised which apparently attract a cross-party consensus. The first is the need for safety nets for self-employed people in the form of an entitlement to social welfare benefits. As Senator Mooney observed, we all accept that something must be done in this regard. The point, of course, is that nothing has been done thus far. Given the cross-party support expressed in this House, perhaps there is an opportunity for an all-party motion on the matter. It is no longer acceptable that people whose businesses do not work out are left with no support from the State.

The second issue is procurement, which we all accept must be opened up. It is not enough merely to have this discussion, from which many good ideas have emerged. The Government must take action now.

Access to credit is the third issue in respect of which we have seen a cross-party consensus that something must be done. The Minister of State is correct that access to credit is not the be all and end all for businesses, but it is certainly important. If a business is to grow and develop, funding is required. The deleveraging of the banks has had an impact in the form of, for example, curtailment of overdrafts for businesses and the inability of enterprises to borrow. We have gone from one extreme in the Celtic tiger years, when there was reckless lending on a massive scale, to the opposite situation now where there is precious little lending just when we need it most. The Government must address this issue without delay.

On the question of rates, Senator Harte made an important point in regard to businesses which do not operate from a building and do not make any contribution. These are the types of issues that must be examined.