Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Let us not forget these fundamental strengths. This Government is building on these strengths and is committed to assisting enterprise and workers navigate their way through the current global economic downturn. We are continuing to support the enterprise sector through prudent and strategically focussed investment strategies. We are committed to a central and strategic focus in support of business and in releasing the talent and potential of our people. More than €500 million of my Department's Vote this year will be invested in support for enterprise, innovation and research and development.

We continue to invest in our people to ensure that we have the skills and knowledge to support the vision set out in our Programme for Sustainable Economic Renewal. In particular, more than €1 billion of my Department's budget will be invested in a range of labour force measures to assist those who have lost their jobs. These factors and the policies being pursued by this Government are positioning us for a robust recovery when the upturn comes. Under this Government's leadership, Ireland will again become one of the most competitive and successful open economies in the world, creating many new jobs for our people.

This is the goal of this Government, a goal to which we remain robustly committed for the months and years ahead.

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