Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I draw attention to the Web Summit which has started in the RDS. I have often been criticised for being unduly critical of the Government but I compliment the Minister, Deputy Bruton, who went to the summit today. If Senators have not attended, I recommend that they do so. Without doubt it is one of the greatest technological and innovative centres one will find in Europe. There are companies attending from Argentina, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and from elsewhere around the world. I spoke to one very large company and asked them its representatives if they were doing good business. The reply was that they did not come here to do business but because this is the place to be this week if one is involved in information technology.

In complimenting the Minister, Deputy Bruton, on going to the summit today, I am dismayed that the Taoiseach was not there. I appreciate he has many things on his plate, but we pump millions into bringing companies to this country. That RDS hall is full of the most advanced, innovative thinking this world has to offer in information technology at the moment.It is full of investors. The place is swarming with people who want to spend money on innovations and technological developments. Anybody who watched George Lee on Sunday, 1 November will know that these start-up companies can have hundreds of employees within a very short space of time. We should embrace this. I ask the Leader to do what he can to ensure that we bring the Web Summit back from Lisbon next year and to provide whatever resources are needed, such as shuttle buses. I spoke to people today who took two hours to get through Dublin Airport last night because there were so many people coming into the country. The taxi drivers who drove me to and from the summit told me that they are run off their feet bringing people over and back to the RDS. This is a great summit to have in this country and we have to get it back. It is an Irish summit.