John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, has introduced an internship programme which has been very effective as can be seen by looking at the uptake and the opportunity provided by the scheme for SMEs. The 200,000 small companies that employ 900,000 people are the backbone of our economy. We must recognise the services and manufacturing sectors and we have a deep understanding, respect and concern for them and will provide a service to them as they form a critical mass for the economy. I have spoken to several employers on the issue of the internship programme and I know that some changes will be made that will encourage a greater retention of staff beyond the nine-month period. The real job of government is job retention and to keep every business possible open.

The micro-finance fund to be introduced by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, will be critical, as will the partial loan guarantee and the ring-fencing of €20 billion for the two banks to be lent to SMEs over the next three years. Our job is to ensure access to credit. However, a question that must be taken into account is whether companies are viable. Banks will not give money to companies that are no longer viable. Our job is to ensure confidence and credit in the economy. We have the highest rate of savings ever and must ask people to "Buy for Ireland" and encourage them to spend locally, because banks will not give money to a company that is not viable.

See this speech in context