Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not see those remarks or the article. I am always loath to comment on an article that I have not read or comments I did not hear. If they are as the Deputy characterises them, I profoundly disagree. One of the strengths of our economy is that it is diversified. We are heavily dependent on about ten companies and about 10% of people who pay over a third of the tax in the country. When one adds in property tax, VAT, capital tax and excise, they probably pay more than that. It is important to be aware of that vulnerability and to protect ourselves against it, but also to look after it. When one has an asset like those great companies in our country and the amazingly skilled people who work for them, we should treat them well. It is important to do so because wealth, capital, skills, people and investment are footloose in our world. If we pursue the wrong policies, that could quickly turn on us and change overnight, and then the cake would get smaller. That is a matter of tax revenues, but there is more to the economy than tax revenues. I would never look at things just with regard to GDP or tax revenues. I look at employment, for example. Approximately 250,000 people are employed by foreign direct investment, FDI, companies and companies involved with IDA Ireland. Very few of them are employed in data centres, by the way. They are mostly in the tech, pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors. Almost as many people work in Enterprise Ireland client companies, which are domestic Irish companies that export. There is a public sector which is crucial to any economy of about 300,000 people. There is a tourism sector, agriculture, and small and medium enterprises. When one looks at the 2.5 million people working in our economy, it is quite diversified. We do not have all our eggs in one basket, which is a strength.