Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, the Ministers of State and the officials.

I wish to ask a couple of question on subheads A5, IDA Ireland, and A7, Enterprise Ireland. I welcome the success in 2014. Already this year, 2015, we have had major jobs announcements, including in my own area of Galway. I welcome the increased allocations in the Estimates for those areas, including allocations for IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs.

With regard to the future, it is grand, as far as I know, to allow Northern Ireland to set its own corporation tax rate. Can the Ministers let me know the strategies IDA Ireland will adopt to anticipate the move?

My next question relates to the debate that is taking place in my other committee, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs, on the possible exit of Britain from the EU. Would this be an opportunity for Ireland? Have IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland mentioned the development in their negotiations? Jobs are not created overnight; it is a long-term process. I would like the delegation to comment on the matter.

In regard to LEOs, there has been an increase in funding, and one of the outcomes is the implementation of 31 local enterprise development plans. Is the Minister confident that each LEO is properly funded? I am not talking about my own county. Having talked to colleagues whose counties have LEOs, I heard one express the view that the LEO office consisted of two individuals. Are counties monitored individually to track the staffing level in LEOs and whether they have the resources to complete the work they need to do?