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

There has been a gap in the market for many years. The people with over €10 million are usually funded quite easily. Enterprise Ireland seems to be filling the space under that quite well with the €750,000. This seems to have been a significant problem even long before the Celtic tiger. The companies usually end up going to the US and the first requirement there will be for the company to relocate to the US. We are losing potentially viable businesses in great numbers. Could it be possible to set up a venture capital programme and for the State to take an equity stake in businesses in partnership with other players in the market?