Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

That is the major vehicle for dealing with the competitiveness issue. We get an independent body, the competitiveness council, to assess the competitive challenges and to make recommendations to Government. When that happens, however, the Government is damned regardless of whether it implements the recommendations.

Research and development is a key competitiveness issue. We have invested significantly in this over recent years and we have work on hand to increase both the level and quality of investment in future.

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