Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I was very pleased to read today in The Irish Times the statement by the Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen. One of his points was that we will examine measures to reduce the cost of doing business in Ireland to stimulate export-led growth and enhanced productivity.

This is very satisfying to me as I have sat here for years as part of a team that created a company with jobs for 150 people. Builders, developers, banks and the burgeoning property development companies were the sexiest and most appealing factors for the political drivers of the Irish economy. I was very conscious as a business person that the people out there fighting morning, noon and night to get their businesses to survive in a highly competitive global economy had very little respect from the leaders of Government. The Taoiseach's statement is very satisfying.

I hope I am getting the point across to the Minister of State. Sitting here, I listened to the lauding of property developers and the oversupply of housing stock and apartments but I knew that no economy could sustain growth from that kind of economic activity. This has led to a rediscovery of the traded sector. Anybody who has listened to me over the years knows that the only reason we go anywhere with regard to jobs is when people make manufactured goods or services that are sold for export. Somebody will buy them and send money back to this country. We do not exist as a country unless we are making goods and services which somebody else in the wider economy wants to buy.

We are at long last back to appreciating that the bedrock of our economy is built on the drive of the Irish and foreign-owned companies that export in the teeth of international competition and create added value, purchasing power and tax revenues in this country.

It is such companies, supported by Enterprise Ireland, which exported more than €16 billion of goods and services from our shore last year, up €1.5 billion on the previous year. The Irish-owned companies backed by Enterprise Ireland directly employ 150,000 people. Another 160,000 people are employed by IDA-backed companies and foreign-owned companies directly employ 136,000 people, and at least as much more again indirectly. Foreign companies spend €16 billion directly on the Irish payroll a year. Of that €16 billion, €7 billion is wages. The other €9 billion goes to purchasing services.

Having built up a company from nothing and been out competing in the global economy, I know the work is relentless and sustaining a business is an experience covering 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I am glad that we are now recognising this.

I will finish by referring again to the Taoiseach's statement. He indicated that we will examine measures to reduce the cost of doing business in Ireland to stimulate export-led growth and enhanced productivity. We only survive as a country because we have people producing goods and services others want to buy.

The levy charged by local authorities on manufacturing and service industries is a disgrace. Local authority development levies should be eliminated as the same levies are applied to the manufacturing and service sector as the retail sector. Anybody who knows the basics of economics will realise the only reason retail sectors exist is because people are making goods and services for export. If we do not have people employed in these indigenous Irish-owned companies, people will not be able to go shopping or have money to purchase goods. Why should the local authorities apply the same developmental levies to the manufacturing sector as those who are trading? We should move on the issue.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. It is a great day for me as a business person. I have sat here, pained at hearing how the economy was doing brilliantly because of the construction industry. We were just putting up buildings. Anybody who knew anything about economics knew in their heart and soul that could not be sustained. We should return to encouraging more people to start up businesses.

This morning I heard on a programme that the EU is asking what it can do to encourage people to set up businesses and improve medium-sized businesses. I put on record my appreciation of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland and what they have done for this country.