Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

The Boston Chamber of Commerce boasts that each week it hosts a government minister from some country or other. Here we had an opportunity where the Government with great ties to the US was going to be denied the opportunity to send our Minister to help promote Ireland with Enterprise Ireland. I sincerely hope that will not happen again.

The IDA Ireland targets are achievable and with focus there is no reason we cannot seek out new markets in China, India and other Far East countries. We should get those countries with great financial resources to invest here in high technology industry given the skilled people we have. There is no reason that Ireland as a food exporting nation cannot again build on the trade missions to China and other places in recent years and increase our exports.

While we often hear the negativity, in my constituency of Dublin North over the past seven to eight months more than 1,400 new jobs have been created. I commend IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland for that achievement. I would like to think that the Dublin North region is very strategic with the airport, motorways etc. Ireland has something to offer and with the right determination we can achieve those jobs.

Many speakers have mentioned tourism where creating 15,000 new jobs is realistic. While we have challenges in promoting the country, the 2012 Olympic Games in London represents a great opportunity both next year and obviously in 2012 to get our share of the market. All those foreign visitors will be 45 minutes away by air or two hours away by ferry. If our tourist groups — hotels, airlines, restaurants etc. — get together and offer good packages, I do not doubt that we can get a significant share of that market. In referring to tourism, I mention the fantastic new facility in Dublin North — the new terminal at Dublin Airport, which is a really iconic building. I ask those who knock it, including one particular gentleman of a famous airline who continually berates it, to go out and see it. It is a fantastic building that offers the modern facilities that every traveller wants. As a Deputy who represents the area I am certainly very proud of it.

A constituent recently contacted me on a matter on which I will make contact with the Minister, Deputy Hanafin. 2011 will be the 100th anniversary of the 1911 census. This constituent has written to all his overseas cousins and other relations, inviting them back to their ancestors' birthplace in Connemara in his particular case. There is an opportunity for each of us in our own small way to look at that census and ascertain who lived in our ancestors' homes and track down all the cousins, nieces, nephews etc. and invite them back. There would be a great opportunity for major celebrations in 2011.

The Government is on the right track. In terms of consumer confidence, with €80 billion in savings in banks, if 2.5% of that money were spent by consumers, it would be equivalent to a €2 billion annual spend, which would be a major boost. I suggest to everybody in this Chamber and outside that we should talk up the economy rather than talking it down. If we give people that little bit of confidence to want to spend, our country would be better for it.

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