These unemployment figures are extremely bad. This is the third successive month in which the figure for unemployment has been the highest ever recorded in the history of the State. There are now some 371,000 on the live register. This represents an increase of over 200,000 on the figure that obtained at Christmas 2007. The figure of 371,000 does not include the 240 jobs that will, as announced yesterday, be lost at Schering-Plough, nor does it include the 1,200 jobs that will be lost at Dell's Cherrywood facility in my constituency or the 1,200 that will be lost at SR Technics.

The Taoiseach referred to the gap in the public finances. We acknowledge that such a gap exists and we are focused on what to do about it. However, the decline in the number of people at work, the associated loss of tax revenue and the increase in social welfare payments are causing the problem. The job losses to which I refer are engendering fear across the economy to such an extent that even those who are in employment are afraid to spend and tax revenues are decreasing further as a result.

Two weeks ago, the Labour Party put forward eight specific proposals to address the immediate problems relating to those who are losing their jobs and who are likely to be out of work for some time. Those proposals related to the provision of education, training, etc., so that some of the difficulties to which I refer might be addressed. Unfortunately, the Government voted them down.

I wish to focus now on what can be done to save jobs. I do not accept that we must throw in the towel, as the Government appears to be doing, in the context of trying to save jobs. Neither must we accept that jobs which can be saved are going to be lost. SR Technics is involved in the aircraft maintenance sector. Ireland is an island and if SR Technics goes, we will end up without an aircraft maintenance facility. SR Technics' business is being moved to Switzerland, which is hardly a low-cost economy. The equipment and hangars relating to aircraft maintenance are already in place at the SR Technics facility at Dublin Airport and a great skills base has been built up among the company's employees over the years.

We are informed that the proposed management buy-out at SR Technics will cost in the order of €25 million. That may seem like a great deal of money. However, if these people lose their jobs, the Government will be obliged to spend that amount next year in social welfare payments, refunding redundancy payments that will have to be made and paying secondary benefits to people. In addition, account must be taken of the tax revenue that will be lost. Why will the Government not respond positively to the proposal for a management buy-out at SR Technics? This buy-out would save 900 of the 1,200 jobs at the company, would lead to the retention of what is a viable business and a valuable skills base and would ensure that the country will continue to have an aircraft maintenance facility. Why does the Government not respond positively to the proposal for a management buy-out at SR Technics and save 900 of those jobs?

I do not accept that the Government, in tandem with the State agencies, is not seeking to find a solution to this problem or a viable way forward for the company in question. There have been some serious expressions of interest and, as the Deputy is aware, our efforts in respect of the company are ongoing. Government Deputies and Ministers and other Members have been seeking a solution that will ensure jobs are retained. That is ongoing and they are continuing to assess the various proposals received. I am aware of the views of trade union representatives and others who are trying to find a way forward. The provision of financial and other supports by the agencies will be dependent on a company or companies submitting proposals for consideration and seeking approval for State support in the normal way. We have to see in what way we can move forward this situation, given that there have been a number of inquiries, the current position and the confirmation that everyone is working to find a solution to the problem.

I do not accept that the Government is working sufficiently hard or urgently to find a solution to this problem. The current position is that 600 of those employees will walk out the door next Friday and, therefore, there is not much time left. My colleagues, Deputies Broughan, Shortall and Costello met the Industrial Development Authority last night to discuss ways in which this facility can be saved and among the things they learned was that the Department of Transport had known about the difficulties in SR Technics for some time but apparently had not communicated them to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and to the IDA. There is incompetence——

That is untrue. That is a lie.

That should be withdrawn.

It is a lie like the lie that the Minister did not know about Aer Lingus pulling out of Shannon. That was a lie too, was it not? If the Minister for Transport was doing his job——

The Minister, Deputy Dempsey, must withdraw the word "lie".

I did not say the Deputy was lying; I said "that is a lie".

Is the Minister withdrawing it?

He is not saying Deputy Gilmore is telling a lie.

Butter would not melt in his mouth.

The Deputy's spokesman is telling the lies.

If the Minister for Transport or any of the other Ministers on that side of the House were as good at doing their jobs and saving the jobs of people who are losing them as they are at casting political attacks in this direction, we would all be much better off.

The Deputy is too sensitive.

Deputy Gilmore, without interruption.

The fact of the matter——

Let him finish.

There are 600 employees in SR Technics who will lose their jobs this Friday. Another 600 will lose their jobs further down the line. Nine hundred of those jobs can be saved if the Government gets off its butt and does what is required to save them. A management buy-out plan has been put forward, but the Government is not responding promptly or adequately to it. All we are hearing from the Taoiseach is that they are doing their best, they will wait and see, they will do this, that and the other and it is business as usual. It is business as usual that is costing the loss of these jobs. These jobs can be saved. This facility can be kept in business. There is no reason for this country to lose its aircraft maintenance operation and facility.

I have met the employees in that company. They tell me they have the business, the customers, the equipment, the skills and the will. They are prepared to make whatever changes are necessary in work practices and in the way business is done at the facility in order to save the jobs. They need help from the Government now. The Government will end up spending taxpayers' money keeping those people on the dole when that money would be better used if it were invested now to keep those people in employment.

Hear, hear.

First, what will keep people in employment, which is the objective of the Government as well as everyone else, is to obtain and provide a viable way forward for the company. Deputy Gilmore is not alone in his concern or in relation to the work that has been ongoing on this matter for some months.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Second, the Government will make every effort consistent with obtaining a viable proposal with the purpose of having an aircraft maintenance facility in Ireland. That is the purpose for which the work is ongoing, with the agencies as well. I presume the Deputy does not regard the people in IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland as being not interested in trying to maintain employment, although he can throw his political attacks at the Government.

Sometimes.

That is predictable but I heard political attacks coming from his spokesperson this morning. There is no harm in balancing that out for a moment. We are focused on trying to see if there is a way forward that will maintain employment in a viable way.

There is a way forward if the Government would do it.

There is a continuing evaluation taking place and discussions are ongoing in regard to that matter. That is not the done deal Deputy Stagg would suggest it is, much as I wish it were, but we are working to see if there is a viable way forward.