Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

I acknowledge the great work the Department has done in recent months to try to restore economic competitiveness and reduce costs for small business. We need to create an environment in which small businesses, the backbone of the economy as the Minister of State noted, can prosper and create employment. In addition to developing policy at national level, the enterprise agencies must focus on providing assistance for the regions. Last week I suggested to departmental officials attending a meeting of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education that they emulate the plan being drawn up for the south-east region in all regions. This would be beneficial to all regions as each has different strengths, weaknesses and faces different opportunities and threats. We must seek to generate employment by playing to the strengths of each individual region. This approach should go hand in hand with the overall national approach. While national policy is moving in the right direction in seeking to create a proper overall environment for business, it can only go so far and a focus on the priorities in each region is required. I hope this will be achieved through the formulation of specific, targeted regional jobs plans. I ask the Department to consider this proposal.

See this speech in context