David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Senator chastised people for interrupting him so now it is his turn to listen to what is being said. The quarrel from the Opposition in recent years has not been about any attempt to reduce the deficit or create jobs but how unfair the adjustment has been on many working families.

Despite what we will get from the Government over the next few days, statement after statement, Minister after Minister patting themselves on the back, commending themselves on what a great and wonderful job they think they have done, many families who do not feel any recovery and are living in poverty will be very angry. A total of 20% of all workers in this State are in low-paid jobs. The Minister for Finance made some very outlandish commitments on job creation today when he said we will pass the 2 million mark in employment next year. I do not see how, if 60,300 net jobs have been created over the past four years, the Government will increase that by 50% over the next couple of years. I will see exactly how that plays out, although obviously we would welcome it if it does happen.

Fewer people are employed in the west, where the figure has fallen by 4,800 since the Government took office, there are 5,000 fewer employed in the south west, and while there has been some marginal improvement in the south east recently, unemployment there is still well above the national average. There are huge regional disparities. Many young people continue to emigrate despite the Government saying it wants to bring people back. Patients are lying on hospital trolleys and people wait longer than 12 months to see a consultant despite promises made.People with disabilities still have problems accessing services. There is no timeframe regarding when any of the cruel social welfare cuts will be reversed by this Government. We can all celebrate a recovery and uplift and the fact that there may be €1.5 billion extra to spend. My quarrel with the Government parties is how that money will be spent, whether any recovery will be fair and whether we will see a dividend to those people who have paid a disproportionate price for the sacrifices made by the Irish people. I am calling for a debate on a fair recovery. It would be useful for us to have this debate in the Chamber because there is much talk of recovery but is it fair and equitable and who is benefiting from it? I do not think cutting the top rate of tax for the top earners when there are such levels of poverty across the State would be considered fair.