Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)

One of the Ministers who is not in the country today is the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, who is in Silicon Valley where he announced a €30 million investment fund to be administered through Sofinnova Ventures, a venture capitalist company which will work with small medical and health care companies in this country. This welcome development forms part of the Government's action plan on jobs. The global health care sector is due to grow by 9% in 2013 and is estimated to be worth €1.2 trillion per annum. This is an important and welcome announcement on which I congratulate the Minister. It signifies the value of Ministers' travelling abroad at this time of the year.