Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Western Development Commission has produced some fine reports. I read the reports and I meet the commission on a reasonably regular basis to hear its views and about its capacity to co-ordinate the effort between agencies, Departments and businesses. I had the privilege of visiting China recently to meet elements of the political process and the business world. Some 90 companies from Ireland were there and each of them signed contracts, which are collectively worth €35 million. Some of them are spread across the west and in niche areas. Enormous potential exists in that area. Companies from Ireland employ over 100,000 people across 50 states in the US. These are not phantom companies, they involve men and women producing goods that are exported and employ people in other countries. That is why the confidence of the fiscal stability treaty will mean that where Europe focuses on the growth agenda, it will help many small companies, including those in County Donegal, to export to larger markets where the products will be bought.

The Western Development Commission report is valuable, as are all the reports, but the focus and the emphasis of the Government is to open the doors for small businesses to have access to credit so that they can make cashflow projections. In the past, if a company sought extra money from the bank, money was thrown at the company if it had property. That is no longer the case and cashflow projections are required now. There must be compatibility in that the business must be sustainable in its potential. I do not accept the premise of Deputy Pringle and, while I would like more people to be employed today, the emphasis of the Government and the Cabinet, through the action plan for jobs, is to stimulate the economy and prove that we can create an environment and a sense of confidence where employers and those with initiative will take on new people and rise to the challenge of the potential for producing goods that can be sold on the export market. This will generate income for the country.

See this speech in context