Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have had contributions from three formidable characters here, a Cheann Comhairle. First of all, I would say to Deputy Martin, Deputy Adams and the members of the Technical Group that, if they want and as I said before on many occasions, they can put down a priority question each week and I will answer it if it is an issue that they wish to follow through, and we can deal with the rest of the questions afterwards. There is the offer again for them. If they put down a priority question, I will be happy to deal with it in the ordinary way and follow through with ordinary questions afterwards. It is not good enough that we have to talk about these things five months on.

Deputy Martin went on about populism, long-term investment, high rhetoric and all the rest of it. I am very happy to attend the Davos conference. It is an opportunity to meet with people who have a real investment in this country, not brass plates but in real workers. I do not accept that from Deputy Martin, even if he were to provide it, as he called it, in high-flowing rhetoric in any kind of passage that he might either read or present. MasterCard, Facebook, Google, Bank of America, JETRO, Lone Star, AT&T, Novartis and Salesforce do not deal in that kind of stuff. What they deal with are facts, opportunity, attractiveness of location and people who provide a real opportunity to grow our economy by providing jobs. One of those companies, Salesforce, for instance, has gone from 100 employees to over 1,000 in the last number of years. It now has to move space again because of its growing workforce.

Is one expected not to speak to Bloomberg, Reuters, CNN or CNBC about our country and the international view of Ireland now as moving very much in the right direction where the issue of inequality can only be dealt with when one has a growing economy and one can spread the fruits of that throughout, particularly focusing on those who are more disadvantaged or those who are more vulnerable?

The fact of the matter is, as I have said to Deputy Martin before, here we are with a clear focus on research and innovation and on science-based activities, which have grown in strength over the last period. Given the colleges of technology, our universities, business and the school system, it has never been more advantageous or more exciting to be involved in the whole area of STEM and science and research and innovation. I do not accept the assertion from all of the scientists that this has gone back beyond where it was many years ago. It has grown in popularity and in strength.

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