Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for his wide ranging and helpful contribution and commend him on his ability while appearing on television to explain in a common sense way what is happening in the economy and how we are doing our best to thwart unemployment and restore the economy.

On behalf of the Irish Exporters Association I urge him to put in place a new international trade and investment strategy to assist small and medium sized enterprises which are currently focused on the declining domestic market. The chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association, John Whelan, has stated: "We will continue to bleed the job losses seen over the past 18 months, unless a new dynamic international trade and investment strategy is put into place by Government to help us trade our way out of the continued downward job spiral". As a nation, it is imperative we commit to selling our way out of this recession.