John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

Retailers, the business sector from which I have met many people, local authorities, chambers of commerce, their national representative groups and Government all have a role to play in this. I have every intention of ensuring we deal with the banks and the organisations and that we encourage people to shop locally, or in the South. We must show them the results of the market assessments carried out by the IFA. There is plenty of other evidence that value for money can be achieved here in the South. In some cases it is a matter of offering information, encouragement and confidence building in that sector while acknowledging current problems.

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