There are 436,000 people out of work. Businesses are trying to keep going this morning in circumstances where they do not have credit from financial institutions. Families throughout the country are frightened about the future, whether they can pay the mortgage, what they can do about their levels of personal debt and whether they will have work by the end of the year. Young people are worried whether they will get a job when they graduate. That is on top of the general concern in the population about what we will end up having to pay and for how long we will have to pay for the banking crisis, NAMA and all those things.

The one thing that is needed in those circumstances is a functioning Government in which the people can have confidence. By any measure — there have now been several measures — the Government led by the Taoiseach does not enjoy the confidence of the public. Some of that is understandable. Fianna Fáil has been in office for 13 years. There is a fatigue and staleness that comes with every government in office for that length of time. It is somewhat punch drunk from the economic events of the past year and a half. In dealing with the economic crisis it is hopelessly conflicted between on the one hand, having to take the decisions necessary to deal with it and on the other hand, covering its tracks for the role the Government played in causing it in the first place. That is particularly evident in the Taoiseach's own case where he has an understandable concern to cover the tracks of his term as Minister for Finance.

There is increasing evidence of incompetence in the Government. We saw it last week with the Tánaiste's mishandling of the aeronautics jobs at Dublin Airport. The events of the past week have shown that the Government is seriously divided. It has struck the iceberg. It is now only a matter of time. We can have the predictable partisan arguments across the Chamber, but there is a service the Taoiseach needs to do for the country, which is to wind up the Government as quickly as possible and give the people an opportunity of making a decision about who should govern the country in these difficult times. If they chose to re-elect the present Government, so be it, but they should at least be given the opportunity.

We are in very difficult, strange and worrying times for people. It is not fair or responsible for the Taoiseach with a battered, broken, tired and now divided Government to continue to hang on to office in circumstances and times when the people need a competent functioning government in which they can have confidence and one that has a mandate — something the Government no longer has.

Again we have Deputy Gilmore getting up this morning to give his view of the world. It is clear from the past six months' debate on the economy that there is not a coherent alternative to the capacity of the Government.

Where did we hear that before?

The Taoiseach would not know coherence if it slapped him in the face.

What is clear is that the Government is demonstrating its preparedness to take the decisions that are necessary and that there are no circumstances in which support will be provided from the opposite side of the House, but that will not deter us.

Wrong decision.

Far from being tired, let me assure the Deputy that we are ready to fulfil our mandate for the remainder of this term, bring recovery and growth back to the economy. The Deputy can talk down the economy and the Government all he likes. We are going to do that with or without his help.

Hear, hear.

Sad.

I call Deputy Gilmore.