Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I have one other question. I happened to go on a tour across the centre of the country to the western seaboard over Easter. I was amazed at the heavy vehicular traffic on the road in both directions. It would appear manufacturing and exporting is growing and holding its own. How can we facilitate that? For instance, there is a dearth of heavy truck drivers at the present time. There is a necessity to clear the way for them. There are people available to join the industry. We need to try to clear the way. I am aware the Minister is not directly responsible but other Departments are and can facilitate the expeditious delivery of produce all over and outside the country. We need more drivers. We need more operatives in the construction sector and we need them urgently. Every week we delay now will contribute to making it more difficult to achieve the targets the Minister has set out. I agree they are a great example of how to run the economy in difficult times and at the same time keep the majority of people at work or at least available to come back to work.

The last point is there a dearth of a number of products worldwide at present, with microchips being one example. We, therefore, need to give whatever assistance we can in the form of whatever it is they need now to improve their operating conditions to ensure those in this country can meet the challenges ahead in the best way possible.

I congratulate the Minister on having achieved so much in very difficult circumstances. It would have been easy to throw in the towel and say we will do the best we can but we will await the outcome. The Government did very well. Everybody pulled their weight and made sure the maximum assistance was available to employers and employees to the greatest extent possible in order to keep the country turning over. It is a matter for the county to take up the cudgels on its own behalf with a view to utilising every possible resource available to meet the challenges ahead.