Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am reluctant to thank Mr. Scannell for his presentation. I do not mean that disrespectfully but he has told us absolutely nothing in relation to the key issues here. Like my colleague, Deputy Niall Collins, I have to express my huge disappointment at IDA Ireland's decision not to attend, Enterprise Ireland's decision not to attend and the Minister's decision not to attend. To be frank, something very strange is going on here when no one wants to turn up and when the people who do are extremely restricted in what they can say. I find it odd.

I do not mean to be flippant but my first question is do the people here now report to IDA Ireland? If they do not - and I take it that they do not - then perhaps they could tell us why the Department accepted IDA Ireland's decision not to retender.

One thing in particular puzzles me. My understanding was that the wind-down period - that last 12 months - was to allow for a retender to take place. We have not been given any credible reason why that retendering did not take place. This seems to be a very cynical exercise designed to wind down time and then say that there was nothing that could be done. We are up against it now in terms of next Sunday.

I live in rural Ireland. I think ConnectIreland has done a huge service to the country. The Department's statement refers to the absolute priority to attract further foreign direct investment to Ireland. How does the Department reconcile that with the fact that it is going to close ConnectIreland on Sunday? I am absolutely stunned. There is something really odd about this.

It is completely unacceptable that IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland decided to duck the issue today in the hope that time would run out. I hope I speak for every committee member when I say that we are not going to allow this to happen. It is beyond reasonable and beyond what the taxpayer should tolerate. ConnectIreland delivered jobs to rural Ireland which the IDA will not because it only works with projects of 30 employees and upwards. Many of the ConnectIreland projects involve smaller job numbers. There is a gap there. We are facing into Brexit and this committee has spent much time dealing with the challenges of Brexit. At the very time it is about to hit us, the Department is shutting down one of the key elements in our army to fight back for jobs. Will the Department please tell us it has something more to say?