Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I will address the area of technology sector, if I may, and then address issues regarding the IDA in a second round. I thank Ms Buckley for her written contribution. I will split it into three parts and ask Ms Buckley to address the three. In the first part, the IDA has highlighted the need for investment in skills, research, innovation. Ireland is a centre of regulatory excellence and the IDA is calling for the continuing resourcing of the Data Protection Commission, the setting up on a new media regulator and the establishment of a digital brief within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. That is the first part.

In the second part, Ms Buckley spoke about the SME incentives and an SME tax roadmap. Would IBEC and Technology Ireland support the creation of a new agency for our indigenous SME sector? They do not have to be exporting businesses.

We need another agency to support our indigenous SME sector.

One of the witnesses referenced procurement opportunities and leveraging the National Training Fund. I have seen a number of initiatives that tried to get procurement within the multinational sector to integrate with the indigenous sector, but it is difficult for small indigenous companies to get on an approved procurement list. Similarly, the Government does not do enough to make our procurement guidelines attractive and to ensure that smaller companies can access procurement.

I would appreciate it if the witnesses covered these three areas in their responses, if possible.