Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

The provision of jobs is the most important issue facing the country. The Minister referred to support structures for microenterprise in the same breath as start-up companies. If a company has been in existence for more than five years, it is precluded from applying to Enterprise Ireland for anything. As a result, companies with five employees which seek to expand are debarred by Enterprise Ireland from securing a further leg up on the ladder. Such companies are too large for the county enterprise board and too small for Enterprise Ireland. The latter will not take an interest in them and its facilities do not cater for them. What will the Minister do to assist microenterprises which may have been operating for five to six years and may have fewer than ten employees, the cut-off figure for Enterprise Ireland assistance?

Businesses with five or six employees which have expanded into Britain, our nearest neighbour, do not receive much assistance. A group of UCD alumni brings together businesses and is meeting this week in the House of Lords. Could we start up clusters for companies which expand into England?

It has been brought to Senators' attention by the National Recruitment Federation that the implementation of what it describes as the gold plated directive on agency workers would result in the loss of 8,000 jobs. Will the Minister examine this issue?