Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to come in again to respond to some of the charges made. Deputies have described the reality for families they know and represent who are looking for better services and need support for their children or other family members who have great needs. I feel the same way in wanting to make progress to ensure those families and citizens will receive the support they need and deserve. I want to see the same happen. The world in which I live also involves travelling abroad with IDA Ireland to other countries that have schemes such as this. When I meet representatives of other governments, I am made aware that they want the companies we are discussing that provide employment in Ireland to be located in their countries. I cannot wish away that reality. It is the reality in which this country trades and within which we try to attract investment and generate income which we then use to fund the public services we need.

I wish to respond to the point about autism services made by Deputy Pearse Doherty because while it is anchored in personal and constituency experience which I understand and respect, I will not allow the Deputy to create the impression that all the Government did in budget 2020 was invest €2 million in autism services because he knows that the Departments of Health and Education and Skills provide many multiples of that amount to employ staff to provide the public services citizens who are dealing with the challenge of autism need. He knows that happens. I will not allow a comparison to be made between this scheme and the figure of €2 million when the reality is that multiples of that figure are being provided to support citizens with autism and their families.

Deputy Pearse Doherty understands the role of foreign direct investment in the economy and how valuable it is, but all Deputy Paul Murphy wants to do is nationalise it because he is opposed to that kind of investment in this country. In that sense, it does not surprise me that he is against a scheme like this. However, if I was to make a policy decision that resulted in international investment or companies located in Ireland moving elsewhere, the Deputies would be the first to lambaste me for the flight of jobs or investment from the economy. They can have it both ways, but I cannot. The reality is that other countries offer schemes such as this.

Deputy Pearse Doherty referred to the creation of an extra 383 jobs, but he did not refer to the number of jobs retained - 839 - which makes a big difference to the equation. None of the Deputies supporting the amendment has referred to the fact that the companies for which these employees work are huge payers of income tax and corporation tax. Every time Deputy Pearse Doherty quotes the benefit of €110,000 delivered under the scheme, he should also quote the €355,000 paid in tax. The reality that if this scheme was not in place, it is likely that that €355,000 would be paid in tax in another country and that the jobs associated with the scheme would be located elsewhere. I want to have them here in order that Irish citizens can benefit and the tax revenue raised from this investment can be used to fund better public services.