James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House again. Any time she comes here, she comes with Bills that are invariably supported. This is yet another. It is welcome and timely that we increase the funding available to IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland when we face such serious threats owing to what is happening across the water and the likelihood of a disorderly Brexit. I particularly welcome the increase in funding. It is considerable. An increase of €7 billion is a hell of a lot of money.

Let me digress for one moment. We are talking about the Bill but the preceding speaker spoke about the lack of investment in other areas. There is additional investment in justice, health and education. I feel very strongly about the latter as somebody who comes from the constituency with the youngest population. It has more children than anywhere else. Education is critical in preparing us and the young for the future and so we can compete on the world stage, which previous generations have done very successfully. We want our youth to be best armed and educated.

On the Bill, I am especially pleased there is now capacity for shares to be bought as a way of supporting business. I hope it will not only support business but also create a return for the fund so future businesses can also be helped.

Science Foundation Ireland is critical to research and development. Clearly, I am speaking as a doctor but I am aware that when a business is continuing to refine and develop its products to compete on the world stage, nothing stands still. Therefore, research and development are critical to all businesses. I very much welcome the fact that there is to be much greater capacity for money to be made available for it.

I do not intend to delay the House. This Bill is important and welcome and I would like to see progress made on it without any delay. I was very pleased to hear the two previous speakers supporting it.