Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader for a debate on job creation. This morning it was announced that 100 jobs will be created in Waterford, which are in addition to the 1,600 jobs in the south east announced earlier this week. Yesterday it was also announced that 100 jobs will be created in the ICT sector in Dublin, which I welcomed on the floor of the House. In a week when other political issues have been in focus, perhaps we lost the focus on job creation. We had a number of debates on job creation in the House. The Government has stated an intention to make the ICT sector a key sector for targeted growth in job creation over the coming years. As I said yesterday, we have seen a large number of jobs created in the sector in recent years. It would be worth inviting the Minister responsible for jobs or the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Sean Sherlock, to speak to us specifically about the ICT sector and its potential for job creation. ICT is a hugely important area for growth in Ireland. The Government also plans to create 2,000 extra places in ICT training at third level and it would be good hear about it in a debate.

Finally, there was broad welcome for the publication of the heads of the protection of life during pregnancy Bill 2013. We are all aware that Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children will conduct a full debate on those heads. It will be worth seeing whether the Fianna Fáil Party will adopt a responsible legislative approach to the heads of the Bill and recognise that the Bill has been conservatively drafted in line with our obligations under the X case and the European Convention on Human Rights. I hope the party will see its way to supporting the Bill.