Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is partly the reason there is now a meeting of minds and experiences to put together a comprehensive overall plan for the south east to endorse and embellish the efforts that have been made there to date. When one looks at the entire sector, unemployment is down from 20% to 11.9%, although that is still too high. Every region has its attractions and its strengths. The comprehensive programme being referred to by the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, is another opportunity to build on that.

In respect of the Brexit outcome, the Government has decided to increase staffing numbers over time in our overseas offices, particularly in regard to trade. It will be necessary to reach new markets and so on for goods and products that we produce. I met with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland quite recently, both of which are powerful agencies. World standards apply in both their cases. They have full Government support to continue working with companies here that are exporting and with FDI coming into Ireland. Yesterday, the Government approved sizeable grant assistance for an industry in the Deputy's own county of Tipperary.

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