Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach made an intensive, whirlwind visit to Silicon Valley and San Francisco recently. He visited an array of media and technology companies, including Facebook, Cisco and eBay. We acknowledge the work of the Government in attracting investment, employment and growth, but there is another side to the coin. One aspect concerns Irish workers, while the other concerns Ireland's reputation. Multinationals come here and avail of tax breaks and concessions and then head for the hills. They either close down their businesses completely or reduce their numbers of employees. We have a list of the companies that during the years have done exactly what I describe. Others are planning to take a similar approach. We have noticed the increasing demands being placed on Irish workers which is epitomised by what is happening to workers in Waterford.

It is not so much a case of take it or leave it; it is a case of take it or we leave. We know the kind of aggressive lobbying that is going on to get that firm to move to New York. We see the erosion of hard-won workers' rights because of these companies in terms of salary and wages, health and safety, and other conditions. The editorial in the Irish Examinerput it very succinctly, stating: "Globalisation ruining workers' job security". We have to ensure we get worthwhile employment that is not at the whims of foreign multinational companies and foreign investment.

One of the strategies and answers is to have greater support of small and medium businesses in this country. The statistics show they are the ones who are more reluctant to let their employees go in difficult times. That means tackling the issues they have identified as being difficulties, for example, access to adequate finance, sustainable cash flow, upward-only rents, microfinance, seed capital schemes and the public procurement issue.

Will the Government commit to the same assertive or aggressive measures it uses to attract foreign direct investment and multinationals on behalf of the small and medium enterprises here? It is the small and medium enterprises - our indigenous industries - that have our workers' interests at heart. Will the Government commit to a series of events comparable to the St. Patrick's Day events which go towards attracting foreign investment in order to support our small and medium enterprises?

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