Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have the healthiest IDA pipeline we have ever had. Last year, we had the best year we have had for ten years in terms of foreign direct investment. We have difficulties in the consumer economy, but it is not difficult to understand why that should be the case. We are addressing these issues, and against all the odds have managed to bring home a budget under constraints. This is the sixth time the people have had to endure cutbacks because of the gap between our spending and our revenue.

We will never return to having 17% of the population involved in construction. Any normal economy has approximately 8% involved in construction. Right now, we have only 3% involved in construction, and we must try to increase this. The challenge is to recast the entire economy, and that is what we are working towards.

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