David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is neither the point nor the problem. IDA Ireland can give us any amount of data. The question is whether the data is accurate. The problem is when the data is not accurate. We can put up on the screen the actual survey that IDA Ireland companies are asked to fill in. It is a one-page document that includes the Companies Registration Office number and the number of employees or jobs created, but that is it. Where is the follow-up or verification? There is no process - it amounts to zero. We are taking at face value information being given by companies. The data is then given to Oireachtas Members in response to parliamentary questions. Statements on job creation claim X number of jobs have been created, but we cannot verify whether that is the case. That has an impact on policy and revenue.

Let us juxtapose that with the data on the screen relating to what ConnectIreland has to go through. It is a far more rigorous process. There is a problem here. I do not believe that responding in terms of data is the answer. Perhaps we need to write to IDA Ireland again to say that we are concerned about process and verification. If we do not get a satisfactory answer, we may need to bring IDA Ireland representatives before the committee again.