John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)

I apologise for missing part of the session. What has been put forward is very much welcome. Anything we can do to improve our competitiveness and sustainability in terms of growth is important, but I note that the focus is on the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, in particular, when it comes to grant assistance. Does that then drive a wedge as regards SMEs? When we see how a lot of these smaller companies are contributing to the success of IDA and Enterprise Ireland companies, through providing whatever auxiliary service, will it increase the level of compliance for them? What supports will subsequently be there as a result of that?

On increasing the term of appointment to the IDA board from three to five years, how are diversity, gender balance and so on managed? Is there a policy for that right now to ensure we have a diversity of wealth in talent and experience? It is also about ensuring, when we are at the cutting edge of the likes of artificial intelligence, there is a newer-type profile of member representation at all levels of governance within our enterprise sector to ensure the best of expertise in artificial intelligence, and everything in relation to innovation, are adequately represented.