Mary White (Fianna Fail)

In the light of the shedding of 485 jobs by Waterford Crystal, I call on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, to provide us with a snapshot of the current state of small and medium sized indigenous industries. I do not want to hear general statistics about growth figures and the like. I want to hear about the real state of indigenous industries, which in many cases are at the heart of communities. Today, Ireland has the highest costs in Europe. How can a company compete against a weak dollar? Any indigenous industry worth its salt must export and most of our exports are outside the eurozone. We are under severe pressure with exchange rates and the costs of doing business in Ireland.