Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

It is fair to say the Taoiseach will have an opportunity when he addresses the joint Congress later this year to speak to America at an opportune time. I note that in the Taoiseach's earlier reply to Deputy Gilmore he stated he will be devoting a portion of his address to the US Congress to the issue of economic affairs. In the course of that address, will the Taoiseach highlight the importance of US-based multinational jobs in this country, as I am sure he will? At the last US presidential election, the then Democratic candidate, Senator Kerry, proposed a new taxing regime for US-owned companies outside the US, which would have had a very detrimental effect on US business in Ireland. I ask the Taoiseach to highlight the importance of US investment in this country in the course of his speech because the two great parties of America, the Republicans and the Democrats, will be finalising their platforms from April onwards and it is important to stress the importance of that investment to a small, open economy such as Ireland's.

See this speech in context