Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for his comments regarding the interaction with American business and politics. I also saw the pictures on television showing people who attended the aforementioned expo at the RDS. It is disheartening to see people there, particularly those who are in their 30s and mid-40s, who may be married with families but where unemployment has hit either one or both partners and for whom it is very difficult to make ends meet. This is part of the critical issue faced by the Government and when we get our own public finances in order, clearly we will have more money to invest in important social services such as schools, health or whatever. However, I make the point that I recently visited Cork, where I met representatives of a number of important firms there who informed me there are 800 vacancies in that region for information technology people. Moreover, there are 4,000 vacancies nationwide in the information technology sector. Similarly, I spoke to someone last week who seeks 100 fluent German speakers but such people are not available with the requisite fluency level. This problem was highlighted to me by the French representative at the recent Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment, who told me that although they have 50,000 vacancies in southern France, they do not have the skill mix to meet them. We need an opportunity to discuss these issues rationally in Ireland because the manner in which FÁS used to be structured meant that while it did some good work in a number of areas, it is clear that where people sought particular competencies, they were not always available. In this sense, the change from FÁS to the Department of Education and Skills and the Pathways to Work programme published by the Government hold enormous potential.

I met someone yesterday who has €2 million on the order books and who is seeking money from the bank but the latter has stated it needs that person's house as collateral. This example demonstrates we must have a functioning banking system, which is the reason it is important to bring on stream the legislation for partial loan credit guarantees and the micro-finance agency as effectively as possible. There is nothing wrong in stating we have the wrong skill mix in places. Moreover, there are sectors - not enough, obviously - in which jobs should be filled but those who would fill them are not available from our own resources. This is the reason I commend the Minister for Education and Skills on the range of conversion courses he has put in place. In this context, when we launched the Pathways to Work strategy in the Liberties, it was interesting to talk to people who had been graphic designers, architectural technicians, construction workers or administrative back-up staff but who are changing their career pattern completely with digital training and everything to which that world leads. I have a sense of optimism and hope in this regard.

The Tánaiste and I this week will launch the opportunity for the diaspora to be involved in a global sense in the potential for job creation here in Ireland. I believe the Deputy will find this to be a highly exciting and imaginative proposal, which will be made into a reality, and which came from an entrepreneur here in Ireland. The Deputy will find it to be significant as it will give an opportunity to those who are emigrants abroad or have businesses abroad. One should remember there are 80,000 people employed in Irish-run companies in the United States who may have ideas about job creation here. We will give them this facility, in a digital global sense, to participate in this regard. We discussed the constitutional convention last week and we will have a further meeting on it soon.

I did not raise the issue of the late Pat Finucane when I was in the United States. Most of the meetings in which I was involved related to either business alone or business and politics. I will return to the United States for St. Patrick's Day and I will take the opportunity to raise the matter at that stage in the political forum in which it should be raised. I did not raise it on my recent visit because I was more concerned with dealing with issues such as the economy, our reputational status and the opportunities that exist in respect of investing in Ireland.

President Clinton pointed out that in view of the current demographic in this country - namely, the fact that so many of the population are young - and the potential that exists here, people should give serious consideration to investing in Ireland. Our tax system, talent pool, technological capacity and track record offer an unbeatable package to investors. This package is another reason there is a continuing and strong line of investment from the US - which I welcome - on the part of companies such as PayPal, Ely Lilly, Allergan, etc. It is also responsible for interest being expressed by the Vice President of China. The latter will probably lead the Chinese people, of whom there are approximately 1.4 billion, at some point in the foreseeable future. The Vice President's visit to Ireland was of exceptional significance internationally, particularly as ours was the only country in Europe he visited on his journey home to China. We hope to follow up on what happened last month with a series of visits to China by, for example, Ministers with responsibility for education, the agri sector, jobs and innovation. I hope to take up the Vice President's invitation to visit China at the end of this month.

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