Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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I do not reject in any way these comments but the Secretary General of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation made a very important statement last week, his view being there would be a tightening of state aid. When we pushed him on what this would mean he stated that the Commission desired less state aid to be delivered to cover fewer people. Given the major unemployment problems in Ireland and throughout the EU this might well be the occasion to allow for state aid to be focused more strategically and, in certain areas, increased. I would like to see the Government being very robust in its negotiations in regard to state aid, ensuring it suits the Irish economic situation.