Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

——sectors involved in the productive side of the economy, particularly on the manufacturing side as well as the chambers of commerce and so on. The variation between local authorities emerged as a factor. There can be quite sharp differences between the levies imposed by some local authorities as opposed to others, which illustrates the strong local control over the schemes adopted by any particular local authority.

We must be careful, particularly in respect of export-oriented manufacturing companies, to examine the overall picture in terms of retaining indigenous companies' manufacturing capabilities in this country to avoid the inadvertent creation of disincentives to their expansion here, given the global cost bases involved.

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