Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is not correct. There are always elements of sectors that rise and fall. If the Deputy is pronouncing the end of ICT as a driver of change in our economy, I could not agree with him. The IT sector is here to stay and there are huge opportunities therein. There are massive skills shortages and job opportunities that could be availed of. The IT sector is one in which Ireland has a competitive edge, and this is recognised. We should not take the view that a sector in which we have been singularly successful is one regarding which we should get cold feet. Some of the most ambitious and exciting companies are picking Ireland as the location of preference in which to develop information technology. It is a very important sector.

The same can be said of pharmaceuticals. While products come and go and patents expire, there are considerable opportunities in the health sector. Increasingly, there is a convergence regarding pharmaceutical, medical and ICT devices. This is where we have an edge because we have strength in all the relevant sectors. There is an opportunity to future-proof all those sectors by being the test bed for the converging technologies. We have future-proofed the sectors by being at the cutting edge rather than getting nervous about the balance. I am just stating the counterargument to that of the Deputy. The sectors in question are very important to us and we have a competitive edge therein. We need to maintain and improve that edge.

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