Economic recovery and budget outlook
Michael Mullins avoids detailed speculation but says the €2.5 billion adjustment will contain both difficult and positive measures, while portraying Ireland as recovering from the financial crisis.
I will not add to the speculation as to what might be in the budget. Newspapers have a job to do to fill space.
Comment on this
The only thing we know for certain is that there will be an adjustment of €2.5 billion in the budget to be announced this afternoon. Obviously, there will be some good measures and some tough measures in it, but I am sure it is not lost on Senator Mark Daly and others how times have changed in terms of the calm atmosphere in the House today. Less than two and a half years ago the country was in crisis, our international reputation was in tatters and people were wondering if the banking system would survive.
Today, we are well on the road to recovery. The finances are under control and, as Senator Terry Brennan said, we are creating over 3,000 jobs a month. The budget which will be announced today will be geared to strengthen our recovery and secure our exit from the bailout. We have a long way to go and, as other Senators have said, we need to concentrate more on job creation and accelerating its pace. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, to the House for a further discussion on the jobs plan and to give us a quarterly update, in order that we can have an input into it and help the Minister and the Government in their efforts to accelerate the pace of job creation? I share Senator David Cullinane's concerns about the young people who are leaving the country. I hope that by the time the Government leaves office we will see people begin to come back to Ireland to take up good and meaningful jobs in a country that will be well on the road to recovery, having survived the disastrous legacy of 14 years of a previous Administration.