Ms Siobhán Finn:

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the committee for giving us this opportunity. Having the opportunity to come here and speak about our sector has been a first for us. It is a sector that is critical for communities and regions right around Ireland. For us and people like Mr. O'Connor, Mr. O'Meara Ms O'Connell and so many more who are employed around the country, to support businesses at a local level it is critical that the sector be given a stronger voice and be actively engaged with when it comes to designing policies, funding schemes or any kind of interventions for the sector. Without direct involvement from the sector, the challenges and opportunities that exist will never be recognised.

I spoke to the head of an economic development team in a local authority in the last week. In that local authority and region, they are particularly keen to submit an application under stream 1. They will not do it, however, because they are too concerned, understandably, about the burden it will put on top of them as the local authority. It comes back to the silo effect we are all suffering from and the absolute necessity that organisations and entities that engage with the Government would start to talk to each other. Equally, as a united voice, we must engage with the Government to deliver the value, benefit, recognition and potential that exist within the sector.