Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

The Minister needs to provide more clarity on what is happening in the banks. We have public service directors sitting on bank boards, yet they are massaging the figures by turning overdrafts into term loans, which is crippling small businesses.

Last weekend, the Heritage Council issued a report which indicated that if the Government were to accept its recommendations, upwards of 5,000 jobs could be created in the heritage built environment across the country. I am not sure if the Minister has had an opportunity to see the heads of that report. If not, I urge him to look at the recommendations contained in it, as reported in The Irish Times. That seemed to indicate that, in common with the Minister's progressive policy to improve tourism and increase visitor numbers, this is an obvious area for development. Many people visit this country because of its cultural attractions, including the built heritage environment. On first reading, the figures from the Heritage Council's report seem very impressive. It appears that it would genuinely create new jobs. If the Minister does not have an opportunity to respond to this question now, perhaps he can read the report's recommendations which can then be raised in some other forum.