Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Briefly. I support the comments on greenways, which have considerable potential. However, I will revert on my previous point. It has been shared with me that, in 2012, Enterprise Ireland employed 742 staff as opposed to 570 this year. That is a drop of 172. Notwithstanding the point that Deputy Neville rightly makes about ensuring that the organisation operates efficiently, I will point to the comments of the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan. We all accept that these people do a wonderful job, so it is shocking to find that, as we face into Brexit, Enterprise Ireland - a key agency - is 172 staff down on where it was.

I raise this matter because a key member of that organisation has told me that morale among staff in this country is extremely low due to the deficits in skills and numbers and the pressure they are under. I call on the Minister to address this issue seriously. We are discussing a 22% reduction in staff numbers at a time when we need to find new marketplaces for our businesses. It is not good enough to be operating with that level of employment.