Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tugaim 100% tacaíocht don phointe a rinne an Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill mar gheall ar Molex. Tá mé ag iarraidh labhairt faoin ghné chéanna den ábhar.

I have asked the Leader on a number of occasions if we could invite the Minister to the House to discuss the document our committee put together on small and medium businesses. I do not have a date yet. I have asked him on three or four occasions in the past four or five months. The Government is either serious about small and medium businesses or it is not. We need to have a full discussion in this House on small and medium businesses.

To respond to Senator O'Donnell's point, rather than having a knee-jerk reaction to the announcement that Molex is leaving Shannon in a year's time with the loss of 500 jobs, we need to consider developing a strategy for small and medium businesses. We are not doing that. In my view we do not have one. The small and medium businesses I know do not see any proper direction coming from Government. This report that people, including the Leader, were party to and participated in gives a strategy and a direction. I would like an open and honest debate about that as soon as possible. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to come into the House and give us a date when we can have that debate.

Ar phointe éile, more than a year ago I asked the Leader to invite the Minister to the House for a debate on RTÉ. Where is RTÉ at in terms of its finances and overall position? There is deep concern among the employees of RTÉ in respect of their future. RTÉ is significantly in debt. I understand it has lost in the region of €8 million this year. It has lost the rights to a number of sporting events like the Six Nations and others. RTÉ is a public broadcasting station and it is very important to the entire country. The Minister should come into the House to discuss it. When Deputy Naughten was the Minister with responsibility for this area I asked that he come into the House. I was told he would be brought in but it has not happened.