Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that, as well as the success of the sector, but if that is the case, why would the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, state in reply to a parliamentary question that companies involved in the proposed outsourcing are establishing delivery centres in Ireland in consultation with IDA Ireland? He framed the response in the context of his officials taking an active interest in how the bank's cost base had evolved to ensure the State's interest as a shareholder would be protected. I did not ask him about IDA Ireland involvement as I did not think it or Enterprise Ireland would be involved, but he put it out there that whatever company was coming in to take over the contract for AIB and, most importantly, its workers, was in consultation with IDA Ireland. The sector is strong, but can the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, give an absolute assurance that neither IDA Ireland nor Enterprise Ireland will subsidise a company that is planning on taking existing jobs?

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