Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I stand over what I said in my state of the nation address in terms of the people not being responsible. Many people became victims of an incentivised scheme where they were seduced into borrowing easy money on the assumption that it could all be paid back. The difficulties in repaying the money were created when the bottom fell out of the construction industry because the economy was being driven by a Government that relied on taxes coming from property. That was unsustainable and now we know. This Government has had to make the decisions that will rectify that situation and I am glad to say the country is headed in the right direction.

I met the CEO of Citibank's operations in Europe, the chief executive of Liberty Global, the chief operating officer of Facebook, the chief executive officer of the New York Stock Exchange, the chief executive of the EMC corporation, the chief executive of Adobe Systems and the chief executive of Medtronic among a number of other serious business people. These companies employ thousands of people in Ireland and the satisfaction they get from the talent and productivity of their workforce, as well as the reputation of each individual workforce as part of the country's brand, is very high. A number of those and others consider investing in Ireland. At the IDA Ireland function I attended there were half a dozen or a dozen people who had no association with Ireland but are now being followed up with in respect of what we offer in terms of talent and a package in regard to tax, technology and a track record. I hope that brings about job opportunities for young people in a range of areas in the future. Please God it will.

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