Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We continue to work with Apple. I would not put it the way the Deputy has put it, that it is lost. We must continue to work with Apple. What is important is that we deal with infrastructure planning, as the Deputy rightly says, and data centres. The Taoiseach and I brought a memo to Government in order that we could fast-track data centres. This is very important because, as the Deputy knows, Apple put in for one part of a project which, I think, has eight parts to it all together, so it would be extremely helpful for the future decisions that Apple may make to get that legislation through. I ask for the Deputy's co-operation in the House, which I am sure we will get, to have that legislation passed. I would certainly like to see those jobs in Athenry, and we will continue to work with the company and will progress that legislation, which will also be helpful. There is no indication that companies are moving away from taking decisions to invest in Ireland - quite the contrary. Based on my experience and the IDA work in recent months, there is a strong interest and pipeline of investment in Ireland, thankfully, because, as the Deputy knows, tens of thousands of jobs rely on that sector.

See this speech in context