Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To start with big data, I suspect we could probably aim for something like 5,000 jobs over a certain period of time. However, one cannot set an annual target in this area. What one can say for definite - I can get the data for the Deputy - is that we have had several wins in the IDA area in big data. In order to create the ecosystem, or whatever one likes to call it, in which big data will thrive, we have established the Insight research centre. That was our biggest punt. I think it was €88 million. We have made a big punt on big data, building the capability in this research area. Similarly, we have created a technology centre with both SMEs and IDA Ireland for the application of big data. We have had a series of IDA wins in this area and we are seeking to open up the public data holding as a resource to drive new business opportunities.

One could say that over a five-year period we should see 5,000 jobs, which would be to use a sort of broad brush, but in an emerging area such as this, one could not possibly say we will stand and fall by a certain number of jobs next year. It is not of that nature.

I do not think the Deputy would dispute that the use of information will transform businesses. Businesses that move quickly to use analytic tools to look at their customer bases and processes and use them intelligently will be winners. It is not an area in which we can set targets, for people then to say we failed. This is a longer-term play, as are most disruptive reforms.

In regard to retail licences, we have gone to tender for that process. With regard to trading online, we have had a big take-up of online presence and we have run a series of pilots to design what we will back with an innovation, or a trading online, voucher. Those pilots have been well-designed and we will roll out 2,000 specific vouchers of support.