James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will do our best to make it as quick as possible in order not to delay the Minister.

The summer economic statement is very positive on our economic position. I was pleased to hear the Minister, Deputy Noonan, speak earlier about the social agenda. The economy is but a means to a fairer and more just society. Without a strong economy we cannot create the jobs we need and we have been successful in doing that. Figures trip off the tongue, including 15.1% unemployment down to 7.8%, plus 160,000 new jobs. However, for every single one of those jobs a person has independence and a family can look to the future with greater confidence.

It is a well-known fact that the best way out of poverty is a job. I will focus more on the social elements. I could not agree more that affordable child care is important and that has been provided for in the last budget. I have no doubt that it will continue to be provided for in future budgets, as a country-specific recommendation from the EU two years running said that we must attack that issue.

A number of Senators mention that lower taxes would not help, whereas the reality is that the less tax there is on work, the more valuable work becomes and the more likely people are to take up work. Rather than raising wages in an ever-increasing spiral and making ourselves uncompetitive, we must ensure that workers take more money home, particularly lower-paid workers. The last budget underscored that with a further reduction in the number of people in the USC, an increase in the threshold before one enters the marginal rate, and other measures.

Senator Alice-Mary Higgins commented on a lack of evidence to support the suggestion that taxes are too high. I can point immediately to the health area and the fact that we cannot attract consultants. That is not because we are not paying them enough. They are making as much and more than they make in the UK but the tax here is so high that they are better off if they stay in the UK, and it is difficult to attract them back here.

Infrastructure is very important and I could not agree more with Senator O'Reilly's comments. However, road and rail infrastructure, including the metro, are very important areas that must also be addressed. All in all, we do have a positive way forward. The first half of the job to restore the economy and get people back to work has been progressed in a major way. The second part of that job is to repair services and restore society.