David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very pleased to hear that the Balance for Better Business is going so well, meeting its targets and, in most cases, exceeding them. I put a lot of work into setting that up. I ask the Minister to pass on my congratulations and encouragement to the campaign to keep going. A small number of companies still do not have female directors and they need to be focused on and encouraged to make the necessary changes.

I am also pleased that the Department is increasing the number of staff processing work permits. It is an area on which we get a lot of representations because there are lots of delays there and with the shortages of labour now, it is an issue of real concern. I encourage the Department to expedite the process of increasing the numbers working on work permits and to see what can be done to ensure that applications are turned around faster than is the case currently. Some work permits can take a long time to be processed and people out there are under a lot of pressure trying to access labour.

On that point, I mentioned earlier the issue of encouraging and supporting Irish people who wish to return to Ireland. I refer to those who emigrated for a few years, some of whom have small children now, who want to come home and work here. In the past, some Departments held jobs fairs where they went abroad, not just to look for investment but also to encourage people to come back here. Has any thought been given to doing that? Is that happening now or is the Department considering it? When people do come back they face challenges in finding accommodation and in getting insurance, driver's licences, and so on. These challenges must be overcome for them to be able to perform here.

Another issue that I have raised from time to time is the security of our mobile telephone platforms, about which a number of businesses are concerned. The issues of cybersecurity and data security need more attention. Some people have suggested to me that our mobile telephone platforms are not secure and can be easily hacked. The data of businesses, politicians and VIPs can be accessed easily, their conversations can be accessed, their locations can be identified and so forth. This is something that needs attention at Government level, particularly as it could have an impact on business and FDI.

Another issue of concern is State-backed export credit insurance. We are one of the few exporting countries in Europe that does not have such a scheme. In 2020, there was an extension to the state aid derogation from the European Commission in respect of credit insurance or implementing cuts. Exporters are under pressure and are at a competitive disadvantage. Has the Department done any work on this? The Minister may not be able to answer now. There may be costs involved in the State getting involved in something like this but as I understand it, we are one of the few northern countries that does not have a State-backed export credit insurance scheme.

I ask the Minister to comment on the small company administrative rescue process, SCARP. How does he see that developing and does he believe it will be busy? He may not know that for sure but what are the indications at this stage? I know it has been set up and am interested to hear how it is going.

Finally, last week Mr. Martin Shanahan appeared before this committee and gave a very good overview of the work of IDA Ireland. In my own area there is a very large authority-owned site that has been sitting idle for 12 years. I am sure I mentioned it to the Minister previously but I just want to put it on the record. The 56 ha, fully serviced site, which lies between Carrigtwohill and Midleton, has already cost the State €100 million but has been idle for 12 years. The road network is the main reason it cannot be accessed. Recently, the Department of Transport decided not to fund Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, to continue work it has already started to improve the road network so that this site can be accessed. It is an absolutely fabulous site, totally flat and fully serviced with water, wastewater, electricity and so forth. The local authority is totally perplexed as to why work on the road infrastructure, for which €1.3 million has already been spent on improvement designs, has been put on the long finger. I raised it in the Dáil last night but the Minister for Transport was not available to respond. I have written to him and I am still awaiting a response. This is a serious issue from the point of view of inward investment, job creation and so on. Not only that, TII has now objected to housing being developed in the area because the road infrastructure is not up to scratch. It beggars belief that we have one arm of the State impeding IDA Ireland in its work of trying to attract investment to this particular site that is not very far from Cork city, its airport, port, universities and so forth. There is a rail line at one side of the site. We also have an arm of the State effectively blocking housing development that is badly needed too. I ask the Minister to talk to the Minister for Transport about this and see if he will look at it again, seeing as so much money has been spent already.