Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am honoured to be here today. The Commissioner was previously a Fianna Fáil Minister, appointed by Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who had the vision to see that she would be an iconic politician as a woman. I am proud of and inspired by the Commissioner.

The elephant in the room is that despite all the positive results and economic development for Ireland when we joined the EEC, at the moment we do not look at Europe and the EU the way we once did. The crisis in the euro was very badly handled by the EU. Without wanting to be extreme, it has become like the communist structure it is so bureaucratic. The Commissioner's portfolio of research, innovation and science has been lost by the EU.

There is an area in this country that has been neglected, the full participation of the 53% of the country who are women. Twice as many men as women set up businesses. We have one of the worst records for numbers of female entrepreneurs setting up businesses that can export. I would like to hear the Commissioner's professional opinion, as a Commissioner and as a woman, as to what we can do to get more women to start up businesses because our only issue is to create employment for the people who have no jobs.