Minister stresses need to shop locally

ECONOMY:CROSS-BORDER shoppers have to decide whether they want to support jobs and businesses in their local communities or "her majesty's government", Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has said.

Speaking to members of Ógra Fianna Fáil at their national conference in Bundoran, Co Donegal, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment also expressed disagreement with the Competition Authority, which favours removing the cap on the size of grocery shops.

Ms Coughlan was answering questions during a workshop on the “knowledge economy” when she was asked about how small businesses and shops could compete and survive against international supermarket chains.

The Minister said the power of the multiple was a huge factor, and added that she was against the Competition Authority on “the expansion of floor space”.

The challenge was achieving a balance between lower prices and sustainable production, and she highlighted the importance of value for money.

Referring to cross-Border shopping, the Tánaiste said that most people shopping in the North “go to get alcohol. It’s true. People who don’t have a lot of money are not the people going shopping in their cars across the Border”.

She said that “every euro you spend in your local community is a stake in the community”. It was making a positive contribution to keeping jobs in the community, and shoppers could do that or give it “to her majesty’s government”.

The Tánaiste also highlighted the need for regional development but said “internationally traded companies have to be sorted first and when they are structured people will start to spend”.

Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe told the gathering that Ireland had the highest-paid teachers in Europe, but that was not an issue for him. “The issue is can I get more quality from the teachers.”

He pointed to the “inflexibility” in secondary school redeployment and said there were 250 teachers who could not be redeployed to areas they were needed because the unions blocked it. “That rigid inflexibility in this day and age is inequitable, unacceptable and inexcusable.”

He added that “reforming the public sector and flexibility within the work situation is really of particular importance”.

The Minister expressed disappointment at the decision by teachers to ballot in favour of a one-day strike, rather than discussions.

He was. however. encouraged by INTO general secretary Sheila Noonan’s comments in an interview about the need for flexibility.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin challenged the Opposition to come forward with their plans for dealing with social welfare. She said that if they had any good ideas “I am more than willing to take them on board”.