Mary White (Fianna Fail)

The Minister has to focus on indigenous companies and the contribution they can make. Irish people and politicians love to see multinationals establishing here, but they do not have much regard for indigenous companies. Enterprise Ireland is involved with such companies which employ 137,000 people, compared with foreign direct investment companies which employ 125,000. Indigenous companies spend €19 billion in the economy, compared with a figure of €21 billion for foreign direct investment companies. We have to be proud of what we are doing, as I know from experience in the company I started. We have to stand up and be counted and get Irish companies on the radar in communities. We need to send the message that there are very successful indigenous companies because it seems as though multinational companies are much sexier. The job of the Minister is to highlight them and encourage others to start up companies. The only way more people will be employed is by starting up companies and innovating in order that they will be able to compete in the market and develop new products that customers outside Ireland will want to buy. There is great ignorance in this regard. People do not know what the term, "we need more exports," means. Increasing our exports will mean more jobs and money in the economy.

We had a meeting yesterday in Tallaght during which we heard a presentation by the Tallaght Centre for the Unemployed. I told its representatives that I would raise the issue today. It acts as a voice for the unemployed, tackles issues affecting unemployed persons and tries to help them to better themselves. It provides educational and training facilities and wide-ranging information on welfare issues. Its projects include a jobs initiative scheme, Tops Mobile Jobs Club, a mobile crèche, a women's support group and computer system training. It has recently been crippled by a massive reduction in its funding from the Government. One worker said the heart of the community had been squashed.

As I have said many times in this Chamber, the long-term unemployed are the ones we have to help, as their numbers are increasing. When I started my company in East Wall there was a transformation in people when they got a job. Self-confidence, self-esteem and everything else is transformed when a person gets a job. I, more than most, appreciated the transformation in people's lives which I saw when my company started in the middle of the last recession in 1986. I ask the Minister to address the issues of the long-term unemployed, microenterprises and those in Tallaght. The people there were thrilled when I said I would have the opportunity to raise the issue of the centre with the Minister today. I wish the Minister best of luck and every success.