Darragh O'Brien (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

Thanks, Deputy Coveney. I am pleased to be given the opportunity after two minutes to speak on the Government amendment to the motion. The SME sector in Ireland is vitally important to the country, its economy and society as a whole. Indigenous businesses in the SME sector employ approximately 880,000 people. It is crucial that the Government continues to support this sector in what is undoubtedly a difficult economic environment. In the past 20 years we have seen the number of people at work in Ireland double from 1 million to 2 million.

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