Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Nobody is arguing about the benefits InterTradeIreland brings to the table. However, InterTradeIreland would continue to function in the same way today if the Minister of State or Fine Gael did not exist. What has the Minister of State brought to the table with regard to the development of all-Ireland trade? Throughout the Minister's reply there is no detail about new developments regarding all-Ireland integration and the development of the economy on an all-Ireland basis. There are great efficiencies we can use to promote our businesses internationally. The last Government conducted some trade missions internationally in which it allowed businesses from the North to get involved, and trade missions from the North included businesses from the South on international trade missions. There have been tentative steps but there appears to be a ceiling on that development and that ceiling has not been broken by this Government. If we wish to energise the region on both sides of the Border to maximise its potential for industry and job creation, we must start thinking not about what is already there and allowing it to continue as it is, but about breaking that ceiling and creating an all-Ireland economy.

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