Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

On competitiveness, we have seen a reduction in energy costs although more remains to be done in that regard. There has been a reduction in labour costs. We are reducing the regulatory burden on business. We are looking at new innovative ways of supporting business. Competitiveness is a real issue and will continue to be a focus because our competitiveness is recovering. Prices, rents and wages are dropping. That will place us in a better position internationally but we will continue to have more work to do.

We have been remarkably resilient in our exporting sector. It is important to say that this year we will have a 2% increase in our export potential. That is hugely important and is indicative of the right policies which are to concern ourselves with the export opportunities that are available.

That will be done on the basis of the implementation of the smart economy document. Targeting our research and development skills and venture capital is hugely important to creating our own smart economy and indigenous industries. The change we have seen in our indigenous and foreign direct investment companies towards sustainability and growth in the context of research, development and innovation is huge. The Deputies will see that the smart capital aptitude in this country will continue to create new opportunities.

The opportunities available will be high value, innovative and within the green technology sectors. I established the High Level Group on Green Enterprise in May of this year with a number of key initiatives. I agree with Deputy Coveney that we must cut through certain parameters to allow that to happen. I am determined that will happen in the context of access to the grid, for example, and other new ways in which existing companies in particular can reduce their energy burden in the context of the green tech opportunities here and in lean manufacturing.

Activation continues to be hugely important. We have had some very good discussions in this House on new measures of activation. It continues as very much a platform the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, the Minister for Education and Science and I to ensure we have appropriate responses and that we are developing, upskilling and dealing with the needs of the unemployed, a seismic task but one in which we have seen some change and some innovation.

On sustaining people in employment, we have seen the employment subsidy scheme. The first tranche of that has now been sanctioned, with a spend of €68 million. At the end of this week and beginning of next week, I will be advertising a further tranche of the employment subsidy scheme, along with the stabilisation fund, which has been hugely important and welcomed by those within industry.

The emphasis in my Department has to be on sustainable employment, improving competitiveness and safeguarding the future living standards of this country. None of that can be done without taking particularly difficult decisions and those are ones which we will continue to debate and consider prior to 9 December.

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