Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

I would like to talk on a positive note because there is much negativity today. Some young people were invited to India by the Irish ambassador to India for St. Patrick's week. Four young students, who are in a traditional Irish music band, were asked to play at a number of events in India. They were told Irish traditional music is growing in India which has a population of 1.2 billion. They played at more than ten events and more than 1,000 people attended one of the events. It was a celebration of Irish culture in India. That was a positive thing which took place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and those festivities. It goes to show that it is not only the Taoiseach who is giving a positive image of this country. Young people are also prepared to do so. The Irish ambassador to India should be congratulated on taking that initiative.

Senator Quinn referred earlier to marketing Ireland abroad. Brazil, Russia, India and China are the four main countries where there is huge growth and we need to use all our resources to gain our market share in those countries. What the Taoiseach, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, Enterprise Ireland and the diplomatic service are doing must be recognised and given every support. Will the Leader arrange a debate on how we are trying to expand the markets in those four countries? It is not only about trade in goods but it is also about music and culture. Riverdance, for instance, was extremely successful in China. It is a joint approach. On a day when there is much negativity, we need to talk about the positives and the good things being done around the world of behalf of people in this country.