Figures for surging exports, particularly for pharmaceutical goods, have underscored the exceptionally favourable factors currently benefiting Irish firms.

Cork got an interesting boost last week from the world’s largest company and it ought to wake everyone up to the potential for far more investment in the region, including towns and villages outside the city.

Consumers could give the economy a major boost by eating Irish porridge instead of imported breakfast cereals — so says Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and East Carlow and chairman of the Oireachtas Agriculture, Food and the Marine Committee.