John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the previous Senators who spoke about the necessary travel undertaken at this time of year by Ministers. I am conscious that at the foundation of the State when the annual budget would have been no more than £20 million, special efforts were made by the new Government to ensure people went around the world to let the Irish diaspora know about the new State. Bonds were raised in America for the new State. It led to the recognition by a State that could ill afford it of the fruitful contacts that can be made. Eventually Eamon de Valera became President of the League of Nations. That continued to the extent that at one stage we were attracting 29% of all foreign direct investment from the United States into Europe despite having less than 1% of the population.

People do not do business with statistics. People do business with people face-to-face. That is why the travel is so necessary. Part of the reason we have more than 6 million people visiting our shores is that people go out. Part of the reason for having 30,000 visas for students in China is that people have gone there and done business. We have a very high reputation because of the people who have gone out there including Ministers from all sides who have gone to make their case. It is the reason Ireland has such a high standing. It is not just business, but there have been cultural links with Members of this House going to China. It is a wonderful event, which is important for our national prestige and economy. It is something we have done since the foundation of the State when we could ill afford it.