David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Consider the most recent figures received from Enterprise Ireland on grant aid. County Kildare, for example, received €30.6 million, whereas the figure for Sligo was €7.9 million. In Tipperary, €43 million was received and in Waterford €19.6 million was received. I take the point that inputs and grant aid do not in themselves paint the full picture, but they do tell us something about the fact that, for whatever reason, some areas are not creating jobs and the spirit of entrepreneurship or output is not what it should be. If we just follow the current pattern and do not determine why some areas are underperforming and what extra supports, resources and tools can be given to those areas, we are destined to make the same mistakes again. If we do so, we will end up reinforcing regional unemployment disparities.