Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will try to assist. I know what Senator Mac Lochlainn is driving at but it might be useful to propose that Ireland keep a repository of this information. Senator Higgins seems to be referring to information retained on a regional basis, which would help with policy development for bodies such as Enterprise Ireland and with the development of the regional action plans for jobs. These are extremely important from the point of view of targeting investments where they are needed right across the country, for balanced growth north, south, east and west.

I understand the difficulties of identifying a particular commercial operation but perhaps the Minister could look at Enterprise Ireland holding some repository of this information as it would help it, along with local enterprise offices, to develop its policy of targeting incentives towards SMEs. I understand why we would not be able to identify individual commercial operations, though clearly the Revenue Commissioners will have that information. For transparency and public policy development it would be useful if a repository of the information was kept to allow for better and more open policy development and to ensure we target this type of incentive where it is needed most in the future.