Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her presentation. I acknowledge the very good work that the IDA has done in Limerick in particular in recent months. It is important to acknowledge that.

I want to follow up the point on the expected job losses. The Minister said there was no certainty and I accept that as well. I think there was a common theme across all of the people who presented that they were expecting difficulties in quarters 1 and 2. I ask in particular about the suggestion made by my colleague, Ms Patricia King, from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to set up an early warning system, comprising trade unions, employers, State agencies. It strikes me as a very good idea and I wonder if it is one the Minister is willing to pursue at this point in time, given that quarters 1 and 2 are upon us? The ICTU made another suggestion in respect of a strategic investment bank to help assist with new jobs and new enterprises and I would like to hear the Minister's view on that.

As we are grouping questions, I might add a number of simple ones that relate to the resources of Enterprise Ireland. Since 2010, Enterprise Ireland will still be down 130 jobs from its peak in 2010, even with the 39 additional jobs that have been announced. That is a concern because as we all agree Enterprise Ireland will be a key player in the biggest challenge facing us for many decades. I know from personal contacts at a senior level in Enterprise Ireland that there is real concern in respect of knowledge and skills because of the exit programme in the past number of years and that is impacting on staff morale. The Minister has acknowledged in her opening statement that there is a huge job of work for Enterprise Ireland and yet the organisation is down by 140 posts, which is a significant number. Has the funding cap on InterTradeIreland been lifted? InterTradeIreland will be a key player and I would like to hear the Minister's view on that