Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

There are not people lining up to leave Ireland. I have said the opposite. There are people who have been in Ireland and who are investing in Ireland and continue to invest in Ireland. There has been an increase in the first quarter of this year compared with last year, despite the difficulty of the country's economy contracting by 8% this year. The level of foreign direct investment in the first quarter has increased compared with the first quarter in 2008. That is an indication of the wider competitiveness issues that apply in terms of the personnel available, the high-end manufacturing and the value that is added by these types of investments and the fact that Ireland remains an excellent location for such investment.

On the point about lobbyists, we use our diplomatic channels and our agencies to put the case on behalf of the State. They have been doing a fine job in that respect. There are occasions when some tax specialist needs to be employed to assist. It may be a tax specialist involved with IDA Ireland, which is the case here. He is located in the embassy in Washington at present to assist and augment and monitor developments from site and to acquaint himself in a personal way with those to whom he needs to be able to speak and with whom he needs to build up a rapport.

I do not buy into the argument that the best way to make a case is to get a professional lobbyist. The best way to make our case is by having people on the ground of competence and ability, who have contacts and are doing their work as good diplomats. We also augment that with other expertise as required. That is the sensible approach. Where certain specialities are required they can be bought in for a limited period of time.

See this speech in context