Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

They are the people who set up this country and who employ people. This Government has turned its back on small businesses and created an environment where bigger is better and only large businesses can avail of economies of scale. If there is a downturn in this economy, there will be no small businesses left, which are its backbone.

Irish competitiveness has been seriously eroded by a sharp increase in the overall cost base, according to Mr. Jim Power, chief economist with Friends First, in its quarterly economic outlook for February 2004. He went on to argue that it is essential that investment in education, to upskill the workforce, and a correction of the damaging infrastructural deficit are given immediate and real priority, not just lip-service. Yesterday, lip-service was given ——