Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)

Some of what the Minister outlined is really important. I want to underscore the more micro-level interventions that need to be made. The Minister mentioned Enterprise Ireland. It is a fantastic organisation that is particularly focused on SMEs and Irish businesses which export abroad. These projects of common European interest are known. They are ready-made targets for our industries.

I hope, and would have every expectation, that Enterprise Ireland will be taking the information that is publicly available, identifying companies in Ireland likely to participate and providing both training and support for those organisations in order for them to be successful in bidding for contracts.

Ireland has fantastic companies but we have seen in the past that with additional support from organisations like Enterprise Ireland, they are able to access new markets. Given the scale of some of these projects - and they are vast - this is one area Enterprise Ireland in particular, really needs to focus on. The Minister might bring this back to the organisation concerned.

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