Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

I welcome this opportunity to debate the competitiveness of the Irish economy. There is no more opportune time for the House to debate this issue than as we prepare for the budget this afternoon.

While we must not be complacent about economic competitiveness in a small island country like ours, which has suffered much from poverty and economic hardship in the past, it is important in this debate to take stock of how successful and competitive our economy has been in recent years. Ireland has experienced an economic spring brought about by its business people and entrepreneurs and it remains part of the business civilisation which spans the globe. Despite the downturn in the housing market over the past year, GDP growth in Ireland from June last year to June 2007 was 5.5%, comparing impressively with the 2.5% growth rate in the eurozone and 2.8% in the 27 EU countries.

The Opposition needs a good dose of reality today——

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