Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

We definitely have an issue at the moment with productivity. A long-standing issue is that there is a productivity gap between different parts of the economy. For larger employers, those who are working with them either have very high levels of productivity or the measurement of it makes the productivity look very high. In other parts of the economy that are not traded and so are more on a domestic basis, that is, happening within the domestic economy, the levels of productivity are lower. There is a big gap. As to whether we have evidence at the moment of any kind of regional disparity in how jobs are being created, I would say it is the opposite. I can get my officials to see if we have analysis regarding this and break it down for the Deputy. In many parts of the economy that we have more direct responsibility for, I am seeing really healthy job creation taking place outside of Dublin, for example. If we look at the financial services sector and the funds sector - parts of the economy we know particularly well- they are unsung heroes for the number of jobs they have created outside of Dublin. I am reasonably sure that in the figures produced by the IDA in recent years, the regional balance has hugely improved. We are seeing more and more good jobs being created outside Dublin. I will ask John McCarthy and his team if we have information that we can break down on a regional basis to share with the Deputy.