Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

It was encouraged by the previous Government and by the present Government. It was not possible to get across the line and I do not foresee a sudden change of heart. The directive, which is an obligation on us, has been transposed in the most flexible way possible while still honouring the derogation. Amendments were put forward in the other House that sought to make it more flexible but they were in breach of the derogation and therefore could not be accepted. We have been constructive in that regard.

I will follow up the issue raised by Senator D'Arcy, which he has raised previously in the House. As he rightly said, Enterprise Ireland is already active in a number of Middle East countries supporting construction contracts but for political reasons there has been a pull-back in other countries. The question is whether the time is right to examine that again, and I will get an assessment done of that situation.