Mr. Thomas Murray:

Can I add one comment to that regarding a recent publication by the Commission of a new communication on what it is calling an industrial renaissance published by Commissioner Tajani? The European Commission is urging member states to recognise the central importance of industry and manufacturing for creating jobs and growth. It has come out with this new communication the essence of which is to try to mainstream industry-related competitiveness concerns across all policy areas. The core of the communication is a European industrial renaissance, which was adopted on 22 January. Already, the communication is finding resonance with most member states, including Ireland, because it clearly calls for competitiveness to trump all other policies, including energy and climate change. It proposes a better co-ordinated governance across all policies rather than any particular new initiatives.
I would add a caveat from our perspective in terms of the conclusions it arrived at. It could have proposed closer links between trade, on which Mr. Monks might like to comment, in terms of the links between competitiveness and trade, the free trade agreements and the Internal Market. It is something on which we have been strong at the Competitiveness Council and in terms of any discussions on industrial policy or industrial conclusions involving the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, at the Competitiveness Council.
We would also like to see a strengthening of the concept of the potential for bringing back industry to Europe because we cannot continue the way we are going in terms of our competitiveness, high energy costs and so on. The concept of insuringneeds to be emphasised also in that particular package.
The communication will be part and parcel of the discussion in the Competitiveness Council on 20 February but it will get a special hearing also at the next European Council on 20 and 21 March.

There also will be various discussions within various industry advisory committees attached to the Commission on the entire subject of industrial policy. Industrial policy and in particular, manufacturing, definitely are rising to the fore and becoming of equal parity with all other policies, if not, as I indicated earlier in terms of competitiveness, being to the fore of policymakers' discussions in the future.