Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials. I would like to comment briefly on procurement, an issue which I know has been discussed. There is room for improvement in opening it up. There is a great deal of opportunities for innovation with regard to the bundling of businesses to make it easier for people to come together. If quality trained mentors were travelling around the country to help small businesses, that would also add to it. I welcome the very good idea in relation to professional qualifications. I also welcome what is being done in respect of patenting which has been a big problem for many small and medium-sized enterprises for many years. They have found it hard to keep their patents up to date, particularly in the light of the costs involved. I am really interested in how Ireland can benefit from stronger European industry in terms of growth and economic recovery in the area of manufacturing. Obviously, we want to move in that direction. Is there a stimulus attached to this?