Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor McHale and his colleagues for their presentation. I want to take up a few points.

I understood that last year the way in which GDP was calculated changed and contract manufacturing which represents the work Irish companies do abroad was factored in in GDP. The previous year we had the patent cliff, which understated Ireland's growth rate. While I cannot prove it, that is my gut feeling. Will Professor McHale indicate if he considers the feature of contract manufacturing is here to stay? It obviously involves repatriation of profits back to Ireland; therefore, there is a logic to it. There is a degree of ambiguity as distinct from uncertainty. Professor McHale might give me his take on it.