John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is visiting the United States this week. Last week I visited Australia with representatives of 48 Irish based companies. Enterprise Ireland supported companies will record the highest ever level of exports this year, while foreign direct investment has reached an all time high. While we occasionally lose companies, new job announcements are being made continuously. This morning I visited a company which started with a workforce of 15 in 1999 and will recruit an extra 150 people in the next three years on top of its existing workforce of 1,200.

The role of the IDA is to attract foreign direct investment. The environment has become more complex and challenging than it was in the past and the market for such investment has become highly competitive. Ireland has 250,000 small companies. If 50,000 of these companies each created one job, it would be a major success. The focus of the Government is to create an environment for small businesses to flourish. We have produced ten reasons to set up a business and work with third level colleges, encouraged enterprise and made a massive investment in the banks which are now duty-bound to invest in viable small companies to retain jobs. The Minister and his officials in the Department have a plan which will give encouragement to small companies which form the backbone of the economy. The company I visited today which had 15 employees in 1996 now has 1,200 staff. From small acorns large oak trees grow. The job of the Government is to get Ireland working again. The main focus of the Department is to reduce regulation, encourage enterprise, support business people and ensure there is a regional and county balance. Villages and towns are also important because it is in these that jobs are created. I am pleased to address the concerns raised by the Deputy and thank him for doing so.

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