Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I am appreciative of being allowed five minutes to speak in this crowded slot. The amendment put down by the Government was well thought through and put together. We have much to appreciate in respect of the Taoiseach. The North and jobs are two main areas on which he will be judged. I am happy to join others in paying tribute to him. I draw attention, in particular, to the programme of investment in the services sector. In the past, people were not inclined to give much credence to the services sector. However, at the beginning of this decade it accounted for 20% of our exports and now it accounts for one third of them. This is a significant improvement and we are well placed to reap the dividends.

The national development plan is another example of progress. When I heard somebody say yesterday that the Taoiseach had no vision, I smiled and thought of all the work he had put in on the national development plan. It is a significant amount of work and its rewards are being reaped around the country. Research and development — the strategy for science, technology and innovation formula — is a significant matter. This fourth level of education, which is involved in research and development, is one in which the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Cowen, is hugely interested and has talked extensively about. I hope that this will continue. The national skills strategy is equally important.

As the Opposition motion mentioned a firm in my own town, I will talk about it. The firm, Nexans Ireland, is referred to last in a list of companies outlined in the motion. I pay tribute to the firm which has been in Athlone for 36 years. It began as Cable & Wireless, became Alcatel and then became Nexans Ireland. It has struggled at certain points in past years although not lately. Staff relationships have been difficult but they have evened themselves out. The new manager, Mr. Donegan, made a great effort. He decreased the loss but at the end of the day, the financial figures were the reality and Nexans Ireland closed with the loss of 96 jobs.

I ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness, and the Department itself to look at an overall package of new employment opportunities for the former employees of Nexans Ireland. There is no point in waiting until June when everyone will wonder what they are going to do. I would like to see a well thought-out upskilling project put in place because there is a long tradition of manufacturing in Athlone. I am well aware that manufacturing must now reach the higher level if we are to keep our pre-eminence in that regard. I ask for a properly thought out skills and redeployment package within the area. I thank the workers for their work over the years. Thirty-six years is a fair spell of time for a firm to last in a town. Equally, I thank the firm for its commitment to its workers. It has been a very fine industry and I understand very clearly the anguish suffered by those who have lost their jobs.

I am also very glad to see that the Department and Minister are pursuing an equally vigorous campaign for workers' rights. People say that the minimum wage will ruin us all but that is not true. There is no point in having all of the steps in place if workers' rights are not recognised. The trade union movement in Ireland is right to concentrate on that matter. The National Employment Rights Authority is very useful in this regard. One can telephone it with one's number and discover what one's rights are, as well as ascertaining information about various other matters. The exploitation which has been carried out in the past will no longer be entertained. I can only be very glad to note that and to hope that this proactive approach on the double track will continue.

I make a final plea to the Department, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. I see that key targets are set during 2008 for the pharmaceutical, bio-pharmaceutical and medical technologies areas. We are very well poised and placed and have benefited from innovative developments in those areas. I make a straightforward plea for strong consideration to be given to developments in those three areas.

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