Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No. The mix-up here - it was mentioned earlier - is that key is that much of the funding delivered through our State agencies must be for export-led products. We are not in a position to grant aid companies to compete with each other on the high streets of the domestic market. The emphasis is to target money, and especially financial supports, through Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and so on at companies that export. There is access to training, advice, business courses for all other businesses as well but the majority of grant aid would be for companies that export, and rightly so. We will only improve the financial position of the country if we export and that is what we are trying to do. An export agenda is driving that goal and we will continue to fund that as well. I think the Deputy would agree with me on that.

I was heckled by the Deputy opposite who said the jobs are not there but the figures are. If she looks at the CSO figures of jobs created, she will get information on what jobs are full-time and part-time. All the information she would want is there.

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