Varadkar's plan to beat the recession

ENTERPRISE:MEASURES TO help Ireland to "trade its way out of recession" were proposed by Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar.

“We cannot tax our way out of recession. Because of the deficit we cannot spend our way out of recession. And we certainly cannot borrow our way out of recession,” he told delegates.

“But we can trade our way out of recession. To do this we need to make Ireland a good place in which to invest and do business once again.”

Dr Varadkar’s proposals on the economy were:

1. Provide tax breaks to businesses to take on new employees; 2. Recapitalise the banks on condition that they provide credit to viable businesses and home-buyers; 3. Re-examine the national pay deal to make Ireland competitive again; 4. Redirect the €1 billion budget of Fás, the state training and employment agency, to offer high-quality training to the tens of thousands who have lost their jobs; 5. Refuse any new increase in gas and electricity prices; 6. Oppose any increases in Government charges and local authority rates and levies; 7. Cut red tape and the cost of regulations for businesses; 8. Use the National Pension Reserve Fund to invest in infrastructure like roads, railways, broadband and alternative energy.