Joe Neville
Kildare North · Fine Gael · Ireland
“With the pyrite mediation scheme closing in just four months' time, on 30 November, some people in my constituency have real concerns. Yesterday, I met two constituents who highlighted the fact that their neighbours had been impacted by pyrite in the past and they are concerned about how it might impact them in future.”
“One of the largest semiconductor plants world-wide is only a few hundred metres from my house. It is a large employer where a multitude of my friends, neighbours and even family, at times, have been employed. Intel has been hugely important in north Kildare and, indeed, internationally.”
“We are ahead of the curve from a European point of view in north Kildare in that we have Intel, which many other countries in Europe do not have. We have a knowledge base and a history. Intel has been there since I was a child. With that local knowledge and capability, we want to ensure Ireland stays a step ahead.”
“The issue I want to raise today is the national semiconductor plan. A lot of people wonder what exactly semiconductors are and what exactly that means because it can be a catch-all name in itself. Realistically, they are the chips that power modern electronics and modern computing.”
“Whatever element it is, its support to the State is enormous and that is something of which I think we are all very conscious. Once again, with its importance and the key impacts of the national semiconductor plan in mind, what I am specifically asking about today is the progress and plans we have regarding the clusters, growth and employ…”
“I welcome the response, as well as the many announcements that have come in and the efforts that have been made. Even going back to last year's budget, one thing I highlighted beforehand and discussed was the importance of the R and D tax credit.”
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“With the pyrite mediation scheme closing in just four months' time, on 30 November, some people in my constituency have real concerns. Yesterday, I met two constituents who highlighted the fact that their neighbours had been impacted by pyrite in the past and they are concerned about how it might impact them in future. With the deadline looming, they feel the screw is being turned and that they might at risk in future. The scope of the scheme has been widened, which is a real positive. At the same time, however, what supports or transparency can the Government provide to ensure that these constituents will not be left in limbo when the scheme closes in November?”
“Spending in areas such as the limousines for €35,000, the high spending on termination payments last year, as well as €56,000 in expenses being spent on 41 members of RTÉ going to Czechia for the Ireland qualifier earlier this year, are issues that are coming up. With such levels of public spending on the broadcaster, while RTÉ provides a good service for the country, we need clarity on what the future funding model is.”
“RTÉ is now asking the Government for a 32% increase in its licence fee top-up this year, which is worth under €55 million. We must ensure that any money allocated to the broadcaster is not outbalanced by overspends by RTÉ in other areas. RTÉ is in front of us at the public accounts committee tomorrow. It has stated that TV licence sales have declined by 19% since 2022. It claims this is caused by households not necessarily having TVs, but we all know that is only part of the story. A major possible cause of the drop in sales is the fact that there have been financial scandals and unnecessary overspends.”
“We are ahead of the curve from a European point of view in north Kildare in that we have Intel, which many other countries in Europe do not have. We have a knowledge base and a history. Intel has been there since I was a child. With that local knowledge and capability, we want to ensure Ireland stays a step ahead. I want to ensure we stay ahead of the likes of the Netherlands, Germany and Italy because ultimately, while we are all part of the EU, there is a lot of competition in this regard. We need to make sure Ireland continues to be at the forefront of such a strategic endeavour. We have seen the discussion worldwide about America wanting to get semiconductors because of their importance from a military perspective, and that will have consequences in Europe. We need to make sure Ireland is at the forefront.”
“I welcome the response, as well as the many announcements that have come in and the efforts that have been made. Even going back to last year's budget, one thing I highlighted beforehand and discussed was the importance of the R and D tax credit. We can see how companies like Intel benefit, and I would argue that a lot more Irish SMEs should. We should make it easier for them separately, but that is a different point. We have tax innovations in this way, which have strengthened the opportunity for the likes of Intel. At the same time, we need to ensure we have a plan in place, not only for Intel but for other companies that may wish to come here, as the Minister of State has outlined. Semiconductors are also a strategic opportunity from an Irish perspective.”
“Indeed, 4,000 or 5,000 are direct employees and there are several thousand more employees working there, not to mention the employment ecosystem that extends well beyond that. I wanted to raise the real importance of semiconductors and the importance of Intel, because we know the difficulties such entities face in Ireland. We have challenges with energy, employment opportunities and the skill sets required. Ultimately, these are really technological skills. How is the national semiconductor plan going, what different phases are we at and how can we continue to support companies like Intel and the opportunities that might arise from it in having other clusters and companies in that same area?”
“Whatever element it is, its support to the State is enormous and that is something of which I think we are all very conscious. Once again, with its importance and the key impacts of the national semiconductor plan in mind, what I am specifically asking about today is the progress and plans we have regarding the clusters, growth and employment opportunities we have for semiconductors. We all know that Ireland and the world are changing from an employment perspective. One hundred years ago, Ireland was an agri-state. It is now very much a mix. Agriculture is still obviously hugely important, but at the same time, it is almost industrial or post-industrial, in many ways, at true AI computing. However, Intel remains at the forefront of that and is a place where there are thousands of jobs.”
“One of the largest semiconductor plants world-wide is only a few hundred metres from my house. It is a large employer where a multitude of my friends, neighbours and even family, at times, have been employed. Intel has been hugely important in north Kildare and, indeed, internationally. We know that in the US, the CHIPS Act has been hugely important and that there have been similar plans in Europe. Ultimately, what I want to discuss today is the national semiconductor plan and we, in Ireland, are doing about and its progress. Obviously, Intel is a key issue I have raised since I came into the Dáil. As I said, I know the impact and footprint it has all across north Kildare, Leixlip specifically and, indeed, Ireland, whether that is through rates paid to Kildare County Council, wages paid or, indeed, corporation tax.”
“The issue I want to raise today is the national semiconductor plan. A lot of people wonder what exactly semiconductors are and what exactly that means because it can be a catch-all name in itself. Realistically, they are the chips that power modern electronics and modern computing. Ultimately, they are one of the most important items worldwide. This is obviously something we cannot measure easily but we know how important it is. We have seen the geopolitical impact of semiconductors over the past number of years with the issues in Taiwan, the issues with China and the discussions with America. Semiconductors have been a key part of that focus world-wide. Some might ask why I am raising this topic, which may be an international topic, and why it is so important. For me, this is a really local issue.”
“As I said, I am delighted that the Minister is considering pursuing this matter and that we will have decisions on some of these projects quickly. It is very important that critical infrastructure is developed. We know we must get it built. Projects like DART+ North West are coming in both our areas. We need to ensure they are developed as rapidly as possible. In bringing through a Bill like this, the real question is what it ultimately looks like in reality. The best way to see that is in how the examples stack up behind it. That is when we really will see the impact of the legislation. As a country, this is something with which we have struggled. In fairness, the UK is no different, as are other countries in the western world, in terms of struggling to build infrastructure. It is great to have legislation in place to help us to do that.”
“I thank the Minister for his response and clarity. Since he has come into his role, he has been very strong in pushing for the need to speed up infrastructure. Through successful economic handling of the State, we have money to spend, which is the most important thing. Of course, we have to spend it wisely and ensure we have infrastructure. I am Leas-Chathaoirleach of the infrastructure committee, which has MetroLink before it tomorrow, the exact type of project the Minister might have in mind. I do not want to pre-empt anything. At the same time, that is the key sort of project we need, along with a DART+ West. My colleague to my left would love to have the same facility in DART+ South West. The population of the State has grown quite rapidly and we need to build critical infrastructure.”
“Today, I raise the issue of personal security on greenways. We have been strong in Ireland about investing in our greenways. We have seen huge benefits and increasing use around Leixlip and Maynooth. There is also a greenway in Sallins and Kildare. I know that in Dungarvan and the rest of the country, greenways have been successful. At the same time, though, we need to make sure that they are safe for vulnerable users like women and children. They are people we should not have to be thinking about in these situations, but all too often, they feel at risk. We can put in place things like CCTV and regular entry and exit points. This is a national security framework for greenways that has not been thought of in this way. It is something we really have to consider in their design. There should be public lighting where possible.”
“It is important we build that future because, ultimately, we are all here to do the best on behalf of the country. We may have slightly different ways of doing it but this is an important step towards energy security, which is a huge issue for the country. I welcome the opportunity to support the Bill.”
“To speak to the wider point, the infrastructure committee launched its latest report, a key part of which was the Critical Infrastructure Bill. The country and Government are doing well economically. No one needs me to say we are running budgets surpluses. We are an anomaly in the western world with the amount of money we have. We are very successful in that regard, but we must ensure we are investing it in infrastructure and the future of the country. This is one such step. I know Members might have a different view in this regard but if we do not put those templates in place, we will not be able to develop in the future. This is what this Bill is part of. I want to make sure the Minister of State knows there is good support on this side of the House, rather than simply hearing the negative from the other side of the House.”
“Ultimately, everyone in this Chamber wants what is best for the country and for the future of our children. We all want what is best for our families in many different ways, children or not. We are trying to secure their future. Deputy Tóibín will have different views, as will Deputy Cronin, but we are all coming here for the right reasons. We might have a different view of how those rules should be applied. Some say we should do less, while others say we should do more. I do not think anyone would be more aware of what the needs and requirements of the people in Clare are than the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, who is sitting on the Front Bench. More than anyone else, he fundamentally knows the impact on the locality and, more importantly, the broad opportunities that exist in this situation.”
“In response to Deputy Ahern, no one on this side of the House is losing that focus. We are really focused on that. I can see that all across my party. At the same time, we are trying to put options and opportunities in place. It is about putting storage and back-up in place. Ultimately, we would all love it if we could just build wind farms and have it all done in the morning, with windmills outside our houses and everything solved, but it is honestly not as simplistic as that. I listened patiently to Deputy Ahern for quite a long time. There is both good and bad in the different points he made. I agree with some of them and, obviously, I fundamentally disagree with others. I disagree with his description of the ethos on this side of the House.”
“Obviously, I am not saying we are compromising our freedom but, at the same time, we need to ensure that we have opportunities for everyone. That is what this Bill is allowing us to do. The Bill is not saying that we have to go in one specific direction. Rather, it is a part of a range of different targets and things we are putting in place to provide us with greater energy security. As Deputy Devlin outlined, it is not all about focusing on this specifically. This gives us the opportunity to seek other ways. As someone who was a CFO of a solar energy company, I know the benefits of renewables. I would be the first to say that renewables are the way forward. I would put them on every roof in the country if I could. It is important to push for that, as well as ensuring we have offshore wind infrastructure. Those are important to do.”
“I support this important Bill. Often, Government TDs assume things will go ahead and Ministers will lead the charge, but it is important that we stand behind them and explain the benefits. When I was a councillor, I saw infrastructure in small, local ways, such as local bridges, roads or maybe a burst water pipe. In here, however, we are looking at the national issues. Coming into the national Parliament, we are so much more conscious of what is going on internationally. Deputy Devlin spoke about how energy has become key to the national conversation, but it is also key to the worldwide conversation. We often read about how energy is the key to national autonomy. If a country does not have access to energy, it is at risk of compromising its freedom.”
“It is very well run from a Government perspective, and we can see that. At the same time, however, we need to consider population growth and push, as the Minister is doing, towards further growth in housing and the infrastructure required.”
“I thank the Minister. We are broadly aligned on infrastructure. The other key element of infrastructure is the social element, be it from a sporting perspective or related to the sports capital grants that will assist local sports clubs, and indeed local community groups, in which I am heavily involved. Housing is about the delivery of infrastructure but also about the delivery of the associated strands, with which the Minister's team is currently heavily involved. Being from north Kildare and having been a councillor there for so long, it is the area I am most conscious of. The issue in Kildare speaks to many of the issues we all have, specifically on the eastern corridor but also in the growth areas in many major towns across the country. The country is doing really well economically.”
“On the other hand, I am also conscious that we are struggling with Uisce Éireann, from the network perspective, to deliver water infrastructure. This is the case out around Prosperous, Robertstown, Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth, where we see regular burst water mains. While we are pushing for new houses, and I welcome that, at the same time, the infrastructure has to be able to meet that demand.”
“I thank the Minister very much for his response. I will go through the specific statistics relating to County Kildare afterwards. I thank the Minister for the information. I welcome the announcement last week from the housing activation office and the Minister’s team. I also welcome the infrastructure we have in Kildare. The new bridge in Celbridge is an issue I raised when I was a county councillor in the context of the local area plan, and I have been pushing for the funding to be delivered since being elected to this House. It has now been delivered under the housing activation office. We also have the Maynooth outer orbital route, MOOR, the inner relief road in Naas and the roads in Confey. These projects are extremely welcome.”
“My question concerns the key issue of housing and all the different types of infrastructure that go with it. I ask the Minister for the information on all the housing projects currently under construction in Kildare North and those expected to commence before the end of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter.”
“They are the people we really want to have the ability to support in the upcoming budget, through the Government's good governance. I look forward to that and to being in a position where we can do that.”
“I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. He gave extra detail about a €1,000 increase in the band costing €230 million. It gives us information about, to use a phrase that was used here previously, the fiscal space we have. That space is due to how the country has been well-managed economically by the Tánaiste, this Government and previous governments. I am also conscious of what someone who previously sat in the Tánaiste's seat said about supporting the people who get up early in the morning. That is something we really need to do too and increasing the bands would be of great benefit to those people. There are a lot of people who get up early, have their families and are busy. Obviously, people may be building a future for themselves outside their families.”
“In my capacity I had a meeting with the Central Bank this week and IFAC last week, which brought home to me the requirement for the tax changes we might need to put in place in the coming budget.”
“I thank the Tánaiste very much for his reply. We all know that luckily the country is going really well economically and we are all benefiting. Wages are increasing with that and therefore more people are getting captured at earlier tax levels than they could and should be. That is why I brought up the bands specifically. I am obviously very conscious of the increases in costs for every household. We need to ensure the bands, given the increase in wages, do not function like a stealth tax that means more people get captured before they should, and indeed end up with less money than they began with. I am a chartered accountant who worked on payroll and discussed salaries with many people, so I know the challenges people face.”
“My question also relates to tax measures. I am conscious that one third of people luckily do not pay tax. We have been supportive of the most vulnerable in our society as well. Does the Department plan to review the current tax bands in the upcoming budget?”
“As was referenced earlier, Ireland is currently benefiting from AI through corporation taxes and even business. I was in with the Central Bank yesterday. Its officials spoke about how a vast element of the growth in the economy is related to AI and data centres. That is where we are seeing the benefits in many ways that other countries are not. I am not going to speak out of two sides of my mouth and complain and worry because we are seeing a real benefit from it. At the same time, it does not mean that we cannot look towards the future. I welcome the Bill, and it is really important that we do this. We also need to ensure that we do not over-regulate and go too far. At the same time, we have to monitor it and that is the balance that we will have to get right out of this.”
“Those large companies that are in charge of it are working with other companies and getting in deeper. Ultimately, the risk is that people will be excluded and that is the larger existential AI risk in the workplace. Previous speakers mentioned about a potential AI tax, a term I hate, on users and corporates, which is something I referenced before, because no one knows where it will end up. If workers, companies and smaller SMEs are going to be displaced then we have to have some way to monitor this. That is further down the field, but these conversations need to be had at the outset because we do not know the impact that AI will have. That is why I welcome the Bill in place and the office being established. We need someone to spot the gaps, differences and potential impacts because this needs to be monitored.”
“That is why this is such a balancing act and why it is something that is brand new. We all know that artificial intelligence is having an effect on all our daily lives in many different ways. Some people use it all the time. Some people use it for work. It is changing small companies, and it is really having an impact on large companies. Employee numbers are probably smaller. I started in PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a young auditor. I am sure that within the next couple of years, those numbers will be reduced over time, especially in the US. It will be first to embrace this and after that Ireland will, no doubt, follow the same path. Companies will no longer need people to go in and assess the basics. They will go in at a higher level. Regarding the impact that AI will have, we do not know where it is going to end up.”
“Deputy O'Donoghue just spoke, and I have a west Limerick background. When I heard about AI when I younger, it was on the farm, and it was not artificial intelligence. It was artificial insemination, but things have changed over many years. That joke has been made many times but it always speaks to me about how we have to keep in touch. Deputy O'Flynn spoke earlier, and I have a lot of the same concerns he has. He spoke clearly about them, and many people have the same concerns. We need regulation but we have to be careful. We do not want to over-regulate or over-instruct, but AI is an evolutionary change. We cannot have it becoming like the Wild West, so we need strong rules and regulations in place, and we need to harmonise them and make sure they are there because they have to be.”
“It is about the elderly people knowing that they can use their toilets. To be frank, it is not good enough. What Uisce Éireann said in the reply is simply not good enough. It has not been good enough for the past couple of years since it made the same reply to me when I was a councillor. Unfortunately, I will have to keep raising this matter until it is resolved. I do not want to hear excuses or about the plans, ideas, concepts or struggles Uisce Éireann is having because, frankly, its delivery in north Kildare across all areas has not been good enough. It needs to do much better.”
“People can, within reason, estimate that every five or six weeks the water is going to go. We have Intel in Leixlip. The company employs 5,000 people. We know that we can build infrastructure. Infrastructure has been developed. One of the most technologically advanced semiconductor plants in the world is located there, but we have a pipe that bloody bursts every month, which leaves people without water. Breweries in the area are impacted. Other businesses and coffee shops cannot open as a result of the same issue. All we need to do is fix a pipe. As stated, I raised this matter when I was a councillor. I am raising it again as a TD. I do not want to be coming in here every month or six weeks to raise the same issue. This is about the basics. It is about people being able to have a shower. It is about being able to drink water.”
“I thank the Minister for State. Unfortunately, I have heard a lot of that before - not from the Minister of State but from Uisce Éireann - during my time as a councillor and since I was elected as a TD. I raised this matter on Questions on Policy or Legislation with the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, on 30 April. That was three days after the pipe burst on 27 April. The kids at Confey Community College were here and, like many of their counterparts in the other schools in Leixlip, they were sent home. Last week, on 9 June, we had another outage. The water goes off a 6 p.m. and does not come back on until 3 a.m. It is gone all evening and most of the night. Children cannot be bathed. Elderly people do not have access to water. That is the reality of life in Leixlip.”
“This is something I highlighted when I was a councillor. It embarrasses me to raise it here as a TD. The people of Leixlip have been let down. They are frustrated. This not only impacts Leixlip, it also impacts Celbridge and Maynooth. That is why I raised both matters today in the form of a Topical Issue relating to Uisce Éireann.”
“The second of these projects relates to a new development of houses, which I obviously welcome, but the plan has been implemented in the wrong way at the wrong place, which means that the pipes are running down towards the main entrance into Celbridge. A public meeting was held. I was one of the only politicians present. We were informed as to what the impact would be. In the interim, we have had to change it a number of times with Uisce Éireann. That was not because Uisce Éireann came to us, it was because we went to Uisce Éireann. As already stated, in Leixlip, every six weeks without fail we have a burst along the main line, which many Deputies here will know, between Carton and Intel. This does not happen by accident. It happens because the water pressure comes. These bursts happen regularly. The matter needs to be resolved.”
“We need a simple, clear explanation as to the cause of the recurring low water levels and outages at the reservoir, an explanation as to why residents frequently receive inadequate advance notice, clarification on whether current and projected housing development has outpaced existing water infrastructure capacity and, most of all, details of any short-, medium- or long-term infrastructure works or investment plans to resolve these issues. We want to develop and to build, but we want to ensure that we have the water infrastructure in place for the houses that are built. Information on contingency planning for future supplies is required. As I said, there are two water projects in train in Celbridge. People cannot get in and out of the town as a result of issues we are having with traffic. That is simply not good enough.”
“I specifically refer to the towns of Prosperous and Staplestown in this regard, where Councillors Brendan Wyse and William Durkan are consistently raising this matter at council level. They are highlighting the impact that water levels are having and are not getting the answers they require from Uisce Éireann. As a result of low water levels at Allenwood reservoir, 15,000 people, typically the most vulnerable, are regularly impacted.”
“Up to 15,000 people at time can be impacted. Third, I want to speak specifically about the issues in Celbridge. There has been low water pressure in the town for a number of years. Work is ongoing at Hazelhatch to alleviate the problem, which is a positive. At the same time, however, two huge construction projects are under way in Celbridge. I will speak specifically to the second of these. As Fine Gael's spokesperson on infrastructure and delivery and as vice chairman of the Oireachtas infrastructure committee, I welcome any water infrastructure upgrades that are happening for houses in my constituency. I am, however, frustrated by the speed at which those upgrades and infrastructure in general are being delivered and rolled out.”
“I take this opportunity to voice my frustration and that of thousands of people who live in north Kildare in the context of dealing with the semi-State body that is Uisce Éireann. Across the north of the county, from Leixlip all the way to Johnstownbridge and down to Naas, we regularly come across issues with Uisce Éireann. I want to deal with specific issues. We have issues in Leixlip where we get a consistent water burst near the Intel plant. Not a month goes by without a pipe bursting. Typically, it happens at around 6 p.m. on Fridays or at weekends. This means that we can be without water for 12 or 14 hours at a time and are reliant on contractors. Second, there are the low water levels at the reservoir in Allenwood. This affects Carbury, Kilmeage, Prosperous and all the other places in the area.”
“We need to ensure that people there are not impacted by loose language used by Opposition Members and that we make clear the goal of this Bill so that it cannot be used against us as a country. While Ireland is showing leadership, real change will only happen if the rest of the EU and other countries take the same brave stance the Irish Government is taking. Surely, the Chamber should recognise that.”
“We also need to ensure that the message goes out clearly from this Chamber that the Irish Government is against the occupation of these territories and the ongoing oppression taking place there. However, I am also conscious that some of the words used here may be wilfully misconstrued and echo differently in the political halls of Washington and the corporate rooms of America, where they might impact jobs in this country. I want to highlight businesses like Intel in my hometown of Leixlip, which the Taoiseach has previously referenced in this Chamber in relation to this matter. The Leixlip Intel campus employs 5,000 workers directly and many more indirectly.”
“Ireland has provided a total of over €112 million in support of the people of Palestine since January 2023. Over €100 million of Irish support has been provided since October 2023. By the end of 2026, Ireland will have provided €144 million since January 2023. Indeed, Ireland's 2026 support continues a commitment of €20 million in core funding to UNRWA this year, bringing our total support to €78 million. The people of Palestine know that we are on their side. We have shown that support through our words but also through our funding. We are now taking the next step. The countries of Europe also know that we are on the side of the Palestinians. Indeed, the Americans know it too. As I have outlined, we have led internationally and we continue to show solidarity with the people of Palestine through this Bill.”
“I have met the former Minister of State many times but to have an Olympic gold medallist looking down on us is indeed an honour for us all. I congratulate Mr. Wiffen on all his work, what he has done for the country and how he raised the country's spirits during his time. His talent has inspired many people in this country. I thank him for being present and for taking the time to come to watch us in the Chamber. To move to more pressing matters and the matter we came here today to discuss, I believe that Ireland has been and continues to be on the right side of history in relation to the oppression in Palestine. On 28 May 2024, Ireland recognised the State of Palestine, which was a huge step. Ireland committed new funding of €42 million for the people of Palestine for 2026 and many millions of this funding has already been provided.”
“I was lucky to be in Castletown House on Monday and got shown around for the umpteenth time. The OPW has been able to buy the land. We now have access restored. This is a cultural pearl of north Kildare that we should continue to push as well. As I said, there are lots of opportunities and possibilities but in the good hands of the Minister, Deputy Burke, there is no reason why tourism will not continue to thrive in the country.”
“However, one thing I felt was that we probably did not have enough visitors coming through. We have the golf courses and carting. We have the K Club. We have the horseracing. Indeed, we have places like Castletown House, Kilkea Castle and Lullymore in the north west of the county. We have some great locations. These are places that can really bring in more people because they are so close to the airport. Indeed, when we talk about tourism, we should not miss out on internal tourism and the fact that people are going from one side of the country to the other and spending their money. We need to continue to push on this. I know Into Kildare has done a huge amount of work and put a huge amount of effort into marketing the county. I look for more assistance from the Department, if possible, to continue that.”
“Do people know and understand that we have our own indigenous games? While we welcome games and highlight and showcase them, it is also important that we showcase what we have on our doorstep. We have traditions and games of our own. We are brilliant at exporting music and culture and those traditions but, ultimately, we also need to look at it from a sporting place. The GAA potentially has a great role to play. Obviously, it has done its bit with the museum and everything else but from a tourism board and national perspective, it is something we have to push more. As I get down towards more of a parochial level, I look at Kildare North and Kildare in general. I have been lucky enough to have been a mayor of Kildare. I have been fortunate enough to be a councillor there for a number of years.”
“Tourism might be seen from a national perspective to have fallen down some levels of importance but we do know that for some areas, it is massively significant. One issue I want to talk about is how this Government and, in fairness, the previous Government have over the past number of years reached out in many different ways to America, be it the American college football games or the NFL last year. We will have the Ryder Cup coming here. These events can draw in thousands of new people and thousands of eyeballs on the television. They can have a massive impact. That is hugely important. Another issue I want to highlight is probably one we have not highlighted and sold enough to tourists. This should not always be about sales and money but one thing is the likes of the GAA. Do we push it enough to tourists?”
“Something we have to careful about from our own economic perspective is that we keep an eye on prices, such as car rental prices, hotel prices and the lattes and scones potentially costing up to a tenner. They are the things we have to watch. We have to ensure that Ireland remains a place to visit where not only will people get a great experience but it will not cost them a fortune. In fairness, that is something on which we have to keep an eye. As Deputy Byrne outlined earlier, Ireland has a great tradition of tourism coming from the US, considering the number of people who went abroad. That is something we relied upon through different times. Movies like "Ryan's Daughter" sold Ireland to countries like America and since then, Ireland has benefitted economically from it.”