Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I agree with Senator White who raised a very relevant point with regard to the long-term sustainability of indigenous industry. Our economists can only forecast as far as 2006 regarding predicted growth of 5.5%. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that we will have that growth because 12% of all investment resources are tied up in the construction sector. We must examine the post-construction sector of the economy. As everyone is aware, indigenous industry throughout the country is tied up with the construction sector.

If there is a lesson to be learned, it is with regard to the manufacturing sector. We learned a very hard lesson in Donegal, where the Government was left with the problem of what to do with the workforce following the decline of the manufacturing sector. The Government sent workers on computer courses as a solution. We should plan for the future.