Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Michael Moynihan and O'Donnell.

I do not need to explain to anyone here the importance of the SME sector in Ireland, the substantial numbers that it employs and the significance of those operations throughout the regions, our towns and rural areas. I listened to Ursula von der Leyen's state of the European Union address today and was encouraged to hear the importance of the SME sector highlighted in her speech, that they are the leaders in innovation, that they will lead the circular economy, and that without a strong SME sector, we will not make progress. President von der Leyen said today that the SME sector is "the motor of our economy and will be the engine of our recovery". I met SME representative groups recently and I am sure many people here have done so too.

I have met representatives of musicians, artists and production teams. I have experience of that sector, I know the work and I know that they have very little. I have met travel agents. Some 3,500 jobs are at risk among travel agents,behind 234 shopfronts in towns throughout the country. They need targeted assistance and they need it now to get through the next stages of rebuilding our economy. All across the SME sector, there is scope to support and encourage investment, to improve energy efficiencies throughout offices and commercial buildings, to improve operations and manufacturing processes, waste and resource management. These are aspects of the business that may not be at the top of the list for the owner of an SME as the business struggles to re-emerge from this crisis, but it is important for its sustainability. This creates savings and jobs, and ensures viability. It is in this area that we can lead and facilitate, and connect investment opportunity and help SMEs.

Digitalisation will have an impact on our economy, monetary policy and almost every job that exists. At the heart of digitalisation and technological advances lies long-term sustainable job creation and apprenticeships, including mature apprenticeships, and upskilling. The pandemic forced many to work remotely or from home. This has shown that many jobs can be in rural towns and villages with the right infrastructure in place such as digital hubs and workspaces. This creates a number of questions for us. How will this impact on city workspaces? How will it impact on car-dependent commuting? Will office blocks be redesigned for residential use and bring life back to urban centres? Will this lead to opportunities for rural rejuvenation and improved economies of provincial towns? We do not know the answer to those questions and until we know the epidemiological path of this virus, we must consider and plan for many of the changes that we have experienced being possibly long-term structural changes rather than a cycle.

We need to seize the chance that we have to borrow at an all-time low interest rate, to invest in the infrastructure deficit that exists in our public transport networks, both rural and urban, in our fibre and communications networks, housing, our water network infrastructure, town planning, urban design and placemaking. These factors attract investment and create jobs. Investment is also needed in our education system, from early years, primary and secondary, through to third level, in order that we enable and encourage the next generation of innovators and people in research and development.

I was delighted to see SSE Renewables select Arklow, County Wicklow, as a base for its 500 MW off-shore wind development. There will be more of these developments on our east and west coasts. I envisage more opportunities for Arklow and Wicklow to become a centre of excellence for renewables, where jobs will be created in training, designing, testing, commissioning and maintenance of offshore wind and onshore solar renewable energy developments.

All of these objectives will create jobs. They will decarbonise our economy. They will ensure energy resilience and affordability and protect our natural environment. Europe is aiming for higher cuts in emissions. We are all part of that journey and, like our northern European counterparts, we need to see the opportunities that exist. We have a good programme for Government with key commitments and it is vitally important that we move as quickly as possible to create these jobs, a greener economy and a sustainable future for businesses in Ireland.

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