Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the role to be played by him in seeking to secure and retain inward investment as distinct from the role of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. [7690/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach in view of his previous role in relation to key science and innovation issues, the role he will play in this area in the future. [7781/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. Attracting and retaining inward investment, and promoting research and development and innovation, are both core aspects of the Government's strategy for supporting enterprise and growing employment. As Head of Government, I will support development and implementation of policy in these areas in a variety of ways, including as chair of relevant Cabinet committees, promoting Ireland's interests abroad on international visits and meeting potential investors where appropriate.

However, these and other aspects of enterprise policy are primarily the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. As such, any questions on these issues, including future parliamentary questions, should be addressed to him. As Taoiseach, it is my privilege to associate the office with this area in general. We are all interested in attracting jobs to this country.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for that reply, although I am concerned about its tone in the sense that the Taoiseach historically played a vital role, not just a supporting role, in securing inward investment, particularly in terms of major inward investment projects where invariably the Taoiseach would be brought on board at a certain stage to attract such projects and to meet chief executives from the countries where the Government was anxious to secure foreign direct investment.

In recent years the Taoiseach led major trade missions to emerging markets such as China and India. While some of that was commented upon negatively in the media, in essence they were watershed visits in terms of bringing many companies from Ireland to those destinations. We should not underestimate in Asian countries the importance of the Taoiseach visiting and leading trade missions to secure market share for Irish companies and to attract inward investment. The Taoiseach is moving some of the relevant staff from the Department, as we discussed yesterday, to another Department, but I hope he will continue to play that role to attract inward investment.

Did the Taoiseach meet the chief executive officer of Twitter? The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, met the chief executive of Twitter to persuade the company to locate its head office in London. I understand the company is now planning to locate its head office in London and it would be a pity if Dublin was overlooked in the race to secure the European headquarters.

There are other questions on science and technology but the research landscape has been transformed in the past ten years. The Taoiseach's office has played a significant role in supporting science and research and development initiatives. There are worrying reports that basic research is to be downgraded on the innovation agenda. Will the Taoiseach assure the House that he intends to use his position as Head of Government to maintain the central role of basic research to promote Ireland as a destination for research investment?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I assure Deputy Martin that I intend to involve myself centrally, along with other Ministers, on behalf of the Government in promoting what we regard as potential for investment to increase exports and develop jobs. We should be able by 2016 to demonstrate that we are the best small country in the world in which to do business.

When I went to Washington for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, I spoke to 2,000 business people at a number of functions reiterating the opportunities that exist here for investment. I met individual business personnel but I will follow through on the Deputy's suggestion and also meet chief executives of major businesses here in groups to deal with the issue. The remit of the Tánaiste is now that of Minister for Foreign Affairs and trade promotion. We want to ensure - Deputy Martin worked on this matter when in government - that there is competency in our embassies throughout the world in the context of trade development. That is an important issue.

A decision has not yet been taken in respect of our trade missions abroad. There has been a degree of contact with regard to a trade delegation visiting China. Obviously this will depend on available dates and people's schedules, particularly in so far as the Chinese Administration is concerned. When I served as Minister of State with responsibility for trade, I brought a trade delegation to India. In that context, I am aware that it is not so much the size of such a delegation that matters but rather the range of expertise among and the level of seniority of the personnel from the different companies involved which causes an impact and which generates respect, particularly on the part of administrations in the Far East. I will give consideration to a possible visit to China when the relevant arrangements can be made and when people's schedules are compatible.

I have not met the chief executive of Twitter. I will, however, do so if the opportunity presents itself. As the Deputy is aware, Facebook, Google and similar companies have established operations in Dublin. The existing cluster is, therefore, very strong and we would like to see it develop further.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Taoiseach's latter remarks with regard to his intentions. As leader of the Opposition, I will be supportive of trade missions to countries such as China and India. I will not be engaging in any petty criticisms in respect of such missions because Ireland is, in large part, an exporting country. The Taoiseach has an important role to play in the context of leading such trade missions. He also has a role to play in meeting the CEOs of major companies which continue to invest in Ireland and of those companies which have yet to invest here. Is it the Taoiseach's intention to play a leading oversight role in respect of science and research and development policy, particularly as such a policy relates to the attraction of inward investment during the lifetime of the Government?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will forward more precise figures to the Deputy in respect of what we intend to do. The world is going to change utterly in the next decade, with developments occurring in respect of the Internet, genetics, biotechnology, robotics, nanotechnology, etc. As the Deputy is well aware, Ireland has enormous capability in this regard in the context of the cluster capacity that exists here and regarding the potential that can emanate from the area of research and innovation. I spoke with Prime Minister Cameron about a programme for research and innovation, the potential of the Single Market and the opportunities that exist for us in this regard. The Deputy can take it that I intend to remain centrally involved in the promotion of research and innovation. I would be happy to receive suggestions from Deputies at any time in respect of that matter.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Aontaím leis an Taoiseach ar an ábhar seo agus déanfaimid ár ndícheall chun tacaíocht a thabhairt dó go mbeidh seans ann é a dhéanamh agus tá súil againn go n-éireoidh an t-adh leis san obair seo. An aontaíonn an Taoiseach go gcaithfimid iomaíocht a athrú ar an oileán seo go mbeidh comhoibriú ann idir infheistíocht sa tír ón taobh amuigh agus gnóthaí dúchasacha a chruthú agus a chothú. Is féidir leis an Rialtas cabhrú leis an fhás atá de dhíth trí ghnóthaí dúchasacha agus iad ag fás agus infheistíocht a mhealladh isteach ón taobh amuigh. Tá dhá rudaí ann - infheistíocht ón taobh amuigh agus ár ngnóthaí dúchasacha áitiúla.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I wish to correct Deputy Martin, who is the leader of Fianna Fáil and not of the Opposition. The United Left Alliance is the Opposition and he is not our leader. In such circumstances, he should not use that term.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is a very welcome clarification.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Higgins should pose a supplementary question.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Does the Taoiseach agree that the hugely hysterical emphasis he, his Government and the media place on the importance of our rate of corporation tax, which is the third lowest in the European Union, in attracting foreign direct investment is unbalanced and unsustainable? Does he agree that, in the first instance, our highly-skilled and well-educated workforce is a major attraction for companies which establish operations here and that another massive incentive for these companies is the enormous profits - much greater than those available elsewhere - they can make in this country?

In the period 2004 to 2008, total business profits in this country, including those made by foreign companies, amounted to €268 billion. Only €27 billion, or 10.3%, was paid in tax on these profits. Is that not really unsustainable, particularly when the poorest and those who are low paid are increasingly being hit for more money and when one may not even speak about increasing the take from big business?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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While everyone welcomes inward investment, particularly if it is ethical in nature and is aimed at making a serious contribution to our society, is it not a major mistake to bet the entire economic future of the country on the hope of such investment? A necessary accompaniment to this type of investment is a ratcheting down of taxes on business and wealth. This produces an unsustainable narrowing of the tax base, which lies at the root of our deficit problem. Is it not time to debate the sacred cow of low taxation on wealth?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a separate question.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Is it not also time to state that rather than just betting our economic future on inward investment, we must concentrate on developing an indigenous industrial base which is sustainable and which will not be vulnerable to the shocks and ups and downs that occur in the global market? We are aware that the latter is desperately unstable because it is driven by profit and competition rather than the best interests of ordinary people and society.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Aontaím leis an méid a dúirt an Teachta Adams faoi fhorbairt comhlachtaí áitiúil agus gur chóir go mbeadh comhoibriú ann an t-am ar fad.

The reaction in respect our corporation tax rate has not been hysterical at all. Rather, the Deputy has been quite hysterical with regard to some of these matters.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Deputy Higgins is right to be hysterical.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The current corporation tax rate has been in place for some time. I was a member of the Government that introduced corporation tax, which has been a fundamental cornerstone of foreign direct investment. The Deputy is aware that for many years this country was the gateway to Europe as a result of the capacity, flexibility and productivity of its workforce. This was particularly true in the case of American investment. We helped open up the then Common Market, which eventually became the European Union, to such investment. The European Union has work to do in the context of developing the full potential of the Single Market, in which enormous opportunities exist for Ireland.

I do not share Deputy Higgins's view with regard to increasing the rate of corporation tax. Indeed, we will defend our 12.5% rate and I would regard any movement away from that as representing a massive breach of trust. That is not the way I do business.

I wish to make the point to Deputy Barrett-----

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I am Deputy Boyd Barrett. The Ceann Comhairle is Deputy Barrett.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I apologise to Deputy Boyd Barrett. Last year, the value of food exports was of the order of €8 billion. By 2020, this figure will have risen to over €12 billion and that will have enormous implications. The Deputy stated that we are betting our entire economic future on inward investment. That is not the case. The export sector has been running very well for 20 months in a row and we want to develop that.

I agree with the Deputy's comments on the development of indigenous industry. The Minister for Finance will be coming before the House in early May to announce our jobs initiative, which will deal with the indigenous sector. Tourism is one outstanding area of indigenous development. That flies in the face of what the Deputy was talking about in his earlier question about the visits of two heads of state. These visits will have enormous potential for the development of that indigenous industry. Does the Deputy not realise the number of British people who will want to travel to this country following the visit of their Queen to Ireland? Does he not realise the power of that visit and its impact on the development of one of the indigenous industries about which the Deputy spoke?

Our jobs initiative is focused entirely on that. I hope the Deputy will support it when it is debated in the House and ensure that people in the constituency of Dún Laoghaire have the opportunity to get up in the morning and have the dignity of being able to go to work and contribute to the well-being of our country and society.