Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ag an Teach inniu agus labhróidh mé i mBéarla anois. I thank the Chairman. The Minister of State is more than welcome. We had a conversation about this last week where he shared his commitment. He had other commitments today and he changed things around to facilitate us. I also thank the Leader of the House, Senator Buttimer, for his strong support. I also thank my colleagues on this committee for their agreement and support with regard to the very important document and work we are undertaking. I thank Ms Bridget Doody and Ms Carol Judge from the Seanad Office because without them, we would not have even got to this stage. As far as I know, this is the first time that the Upper House has been set aside to focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, in Ireland - where we are, the challenges we face and how we can improve the environment for SMEs in Ireland. Very often, the term we use in the Irish language is ag snámh in aghaidh easa - swimming against the tide. As someone who has set up in business, I know what swimming against the tide is like because that is what one is doing most of the time. What one really wants are calm waters. One is not looking for a big push but calm water. The purpose of this meeting, as the Chairman has noted, is to focus on the SME sector in Ireland. Over 1 million people are employed by SMEs. These women and men do not work 40 or even 80 hours per week. They work north of 100 hours per week to develop their passion. They would be much better off if they did not take these risks with themselves, their homes and their families. A manager of a bank in the UK once told me that almost every business person he had met had lost one or more of three things. They lost their home, their family or their wealth. Quite frankly, many of us, including me, have been very close to the edge more than once.

What we can do is help create the environment to facilitate people to take that leap, get more involved in enterprise and contribute to their community and society. The contribution they give to society is very much a passion for entrepreneurs and SMEs such as supporting local charities or GAA, rugby or soccer clubs. That is the integration with the community because they see they are part of a much bigger picture. The bigger picture with regard to the Upper and Lower Houses of the Oireachtas is that we need to create the environment to facilitate that greater contribution. This is an opportunity for us to do that and to create what I hope will be the basis of a White Paper we will share with Government and all politicians to help foster and develop that into a much more structured and focused strategy document. Right now, various people in organisations are focusing on their own particular area but this is the first time we are bringing the whole lot under one umbrella. I very much welcome and appreciate this. I thank my personal assistant, Ms Cáit Nic Amhlaoibh, and Dr. Majella Giblin for their help and support in making this happen. It would not have happened without them. I thank all those here today for their commitment.