Taoiseach's Speeches Archive 2002
I want to welcome everyone here this morning for what is an important day for this country and our future. The National Spatial Strategy for Ireland has been completed. As a result, we now have a 20-year framework for planning that will match people, places and potential across the whole country. Today, in announcing its publication, I look forward to its full implementation for the benefit of people and communities all over this country.
Chairman, friends, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome you all here today.This Forum has been reconvened in response to a number of requests from political parties who felt that the Forum could play a useful role in current circumstances. Because of the political challenge that suspension entails, I share the view that all of the stake-holders in the peace process should be given an opportunity to deliberate on it and add their contribution to finding the way forward. I believe that our discussions here are timely and I am pleased at the positive response by all the parties to meeting together today under Senator Hayes’ chairmanship.
Introductory RemarksThe Abridged Estimates Volume, published last Thursday, has to be set within two realms of reality - the changed economic circumstance at home and the ongoing slowdown and uncertainty abroad.
A number of suggestions and allegations have been made in one of the weekend papers and also in a recent television programme concerning events surrounding the Omagh bombing.In the course of these presentations two very different allegations have become intermingled. One allegation is that the Government, either directly or through intermediaries, had contact with the Real IRA, either before or after the Omagh bombing, about the possibility of securing a Real IRA ceasefire.
I am delighted to be here with you, together with my colleagues, the Tanaiste, and the Minister for Finance, at this key Plenary meeting. Our purpose in coming together today is to begin the process of considering the nature and scope of a successor to the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
I warmly welcome this extremely important decision of the Irish people. We can now ratify the Treaty of Nice and the truly historic enlargement of the European Union can go ahead. The Irish people's decision was made following extensive debate, a deeper debate than any we've had since our initial decision to join the EEC.
I am sure that the many people who are visiting here today will be very impressed, as I am, with this stunning new arts centre. It is wonderful to see Government funding of over €6.35 million put to such fine use on the North side, which is now the proud home to the only multi-purpose arts centre in the country.
All of us here agree about the importance of the financial services industry for this country. It is the fastest growing area of the economy; it adds more than 5% to annual GDP; nearly €3.6 billion to the economy and now employs over 50,000 people. That represents a 70% increase in jobs in the sector in less than 12 years. And I think that those statistics remind us why we have both an interest, and a responsibility, to promote growth in the financial services sector as we develop our economy at the heart of Europe.
I know from experience that Dublin Zoo plays a vital role in the international zoo community. This new exhibit represents another very important step in your ongoing work to preserve endangered species. I certainly wish you every success with that work. The Ibis certainly is a species whose numbers have seriously declined because of urbanisation, hunting and chemicals. So it is very encouraging to see you start a new home for twelve Ibis here in Dublin from Twycross Zoo in England.
Consider these statistics about the benefits of EU membership for trade, for investment and jobs. I think they speak for themselves. Take Investment. In 1972, we counted our low levels of foreign investment in millions. In fact, when we joined the Common Market, a mere €16 million was coming into the economy from foreign investors. Thirty years later, and with full access to European markets, we now measure foreign investment in billions. It stood at nearly €23 billion in 2000 and our economy has been transformed.