James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

To confirm, as we have on previous Stages, Fianna Fáil will support the Bill. It is vital for the 8,000 highly skilled jobs that have already been mentioned in the Chamber. As we are dependent in some shape or form on the enactment of these provisions, I welcome the manner in which the Bill was progressed in respect of the stakeholder participation, which I believe took place in July 2016. A variety of stakeholders were invited to submit their views. I note that the companies surveyed and the stakeholders involved were unanimously in favour of extending the measure to allow them to report in this way, which is critical.

The wider theme, that is, how we support, facilitate and encourage this ongoing activity in the Irish market by the US and, in particular, multinationals is key to our whole industrial policy and has been for many years. It brings to mind one thought on a similar vein. The FDA agency is not represented in Ireland. There may be an argument to be made for it to be given a kind of embassy or outpost here, which would facilitate those multinational corporations and American companies that are investing in Ireland, particularly the pharma industry, which is also critical to our industrial policy. This might be something to consider.

The legal certainty provided by this measure is long overdue. The companies caught in the crux of this issue have been exposed to this question in recent years. We are aware that many countries in the EU have already adopted these measures, including France, the UK, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany. In particular, when we consider the UK, Brexit and the post-Brexit landscape, it is clear we are actively in competition for jobs with our closest companion, our English-speaking neighbour, which is within the same zone at present. Therefore, it is particularly important we have clarity and certainty and reach out to those companies that may make investment decisions in the next few months and few years as we face into a post-Brexit landscape. It is also important we have certainty and clarity as to how these 8,000 jobs and the companies that support them are protected. I note that my party indicated it would table an amendment on Report Stage in respect of this measure. I think the Government was considering the statutory audits Bill as a possible alternative. I do not think that would have been sufficient because it would have delayed the process further and would not have brought the certainty required. I, therefore, welcome the fact the Government has now taken this Bill on board and is at the stage at which it is ready to conclude the legislative process.

I wish to address a few very general points made in the debate about the value of enterprise and the role it plays in the wider economy. This is critical because without enterprise, where would we create the income that funds public services? There is a philosophical debate at play there. It is a very fundamental principle: without income, there can be no expenditure. That is fundamental to this Bill as to so many other pieces of legislation in this area. This is how we draw the finance to fund the public services that are so important. We need measures of this kind to support enterprise and these kinds of industrial players. One would not succeed without the other. We support the Bill.

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