Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Week after week over recent months we have had announcements of job losses throughout the country. In all cases, the agencies charged with responsibility for job creation and the support of industries have come to the help and assistance as far as possible to support those companies which indicated they were about to leave in part or were closing altogether. It is necessary for all of these agencies to indicate their responsibilities.

On the Order of Business I asked the Tánaiste to indicate whether the remit of Enterprise Ireland had changed dramatically in the recent past. I have always believed that its responsibility was to support and help Irish indigenous industries. However, I must state my disbelief at what happened recently under the auspices of Enterprise Ireland. A letter I received from the CEO of Enterprise Ireland states:

Thank you for your letter of 28 January. In response to the downturn in the construction sector, Enterprise Ireland put in place a number of initiatives, including a Leadership 4 Growth programme for CEOs of the construction companies and a number of trade-related activities in support of new businesses development in that sector. A number of companies in that sector are also actively seeking access to the new areas of technology, new products and processes. As part of that response, Enterprise Ireland organised a visit to the International Builders Show in Las Vegas.

I want the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who has direct responsibility for this matter, to indicate clearly why there was a junket to Las Vegas parallel to that which occurred under the auspices of FÁS. How could Enterprise Ireland, which only has responsibility for indigenous industries, take the CEOs, as they are termed, of the building and construction industry to Las Vegas? How in God's earthly world could this be a response to Irish needs in these times? Bearing in mind that we talk about development, the Taoiseach announced at Christmas how Ireland could develop a smart economy. What I have described is, in anybody's book, too smart a development.

When I contacted Enterprise Ireland following the closure of Cigna in Loughrea, County Galway, I was told it had no money whatsoever except €5,000 that was to be granted to a company for consultancy work. While Enterprise Ireland was telling me it could not support an industry in Loughrea, it was in Las Vegas on a junket. Will the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment indicate clearly the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland for the development of Irish industry?

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