Under the section in the programme for Government dealing with leadership on jobs and rural development, it is stated that the ultimate goal of Government is to deliver sustainable full employment and an extra 135,000 jobs outside Dublin were promised. Last week, the Central Statistics Office released figures showing that exports to Britain had fallen by €500 million. This is alarming but even more alarming is the fact that nearly all of the losses are in the food and drinks sector. Has the Cabinet any plan to come to the aid of many small businesses that are already struggling because of the Brexit vote?

The Deputy will be aware of the plan announced by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Minister of State for regional economic development, Deputy Ring. A series of initiatives were outlined to help the rural economy. The evidence from the jobs figures produced this week shows that notwithstanding the challenges outlined by Deputy Eugene Murphy, which we all recognise, particularly in the context of Brexit, this recovery is spreading into all sectors and across all regions of the country.