Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree entirely with Senator Bacik. Yesterday's debate on the Action Plan for Jobs was very useful and it covered a very wide area. We used up all the time and had to squeeze in the final speakers.

Another document was published yesterday by the National Competitiveness Council. It contains a considerable amount. It describes what we can do to create jobs, help the economy and ensure we stay where we are in competitiveness. It called on the Government to publish the Attorney General's most recent view on upward-only rent reviews. I believe upward-only rent reviews are of the utmost importance. We debated and passed a Bill in this House. It has not gone to the other House yet. We believe it is essential if we are to create and maintain jobs. There is another newspaper report today of a Dublin jeweller forced to close because of the outrageous rent he has to pay. When the Government came into office, Fine Gael and Labour had both promised to remove upward-only rent reviews. Their programme for Government reiterated this, but then they backed down claiming they had got advice that it was not the right thing to do. The debate we had last year was well worthwhile and worthy of consideration and now the National Competitiveness Council holds the same view. Let us ensure the Government listens to that and acts on it.