Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The reason for that is that we have agencies, such as Enterprise Ireland which specialises in the support of indigenous companies and IDA which specialises in the support of foreign owned companies who come to locate here. They have the competitive advantage within the State system of understanding the needs of those businesses. To suggest, as the Deputy is doing, that we create a new agency to pick up casualties within the Enterprise Ireland or IDA brief does not make sense. We need to ensure that Enterprise Ireland, IDA and, where appropriate, county enterprise boards have the advance knowledge - the early warning system I spoke of - and supporting instruments. A business must come forward with a credible business plan before it can draw down support from these agencies in terms of rebuilding its economy.

The Deputy suggests that the budget is anti-jobs. The whole thrust of what the Minister for Finance has done is pro-jobs. He cut the VAT and PRSI rates, improved the research and development tax credit, gave small start-ups three years free of taxation and reformed the seed capital scheme so that people who want to start up a business can draw down up to €600,000 of the tax they paid in previous years to establish a new business. It is all about trying to drive new enterprises to grow and develop.

We are in a difficult financial area, and everyone understands that, but the measures being taken are trying, against that background, to maximise the chances for growth.

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