Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

I thank Mr. Brady for the presentation. He said that there are some signs of a slowdown. What businesses would be the first to be affected? I have a few questions so I will just ask a few of them. Mr. Brady talked about tariffs and how they are affecting business. In my view, what has been affecting business in the last 12 to 18 months has been the weaker dollar and how much business is transacted using the dollar. I think the strength of the dollar has dropped by maybe 20% in the last 12 to 18 months.

What sectors or industries does IBEC believe should be prioritised for public investment in the 2026 budget and why? Given the concerns about the over-reliance on corporation tax revenues, what concrete steps does IBEC recommend to diversify the tax base and enhance fiscal resilience? Does it recommend investment in small and medium enterprises or startups?

On infrastructure spending, how does IBEC propose to ensure that the planned increase in infrastructure spending will be translated into tangible improvements in public capital projects? Has IBEC looked at this side of things? If we do not, it will affect housing, water and sewerage infastructure.