Michael McGrath

But that does mean that in times when you can save money and you need to be careful about money and put money away, then you should so that you have it in times when you really need it.

And that's why when I was Minister for Finance, working closely with Pascal Donoghue, we took that view that there was a need for long-term planning to set up a fund.

It's not for a rainy day because if you look at the long-term costs that are coming Ireland's way around demographic costs, pension costs, care costs, they're certain...

They will for sure come.

And we know from the past that the last thing you should do in a downturn is to cut infrastructure spending.

You actually should push against the wind and increase investment.

You're not going there.

It would be completely inappropriate.

It's a matter for the Irish government.

Absolutely not.

I believe in dialogue and I meet with businesses across all sectors relevant to my portfolio, but also with wider stakeholders, civil society, the media, human rights organisations on a constant basis.

But I make no apologies for having ongoing dialogue with the tech sector because of my portfolio.

So I'm responsible for data protection, so GDPR, international data flows, digital fairness.

Later on this year, I'll bring forward a Digital Fairness Act.

And the tech sector are an important stakeholder.

They should be engaged with and listened to.

But I listen to a wide array of voices on a constant basis.

I'm on the side of the European people.

And I take an oath as an EU commissioner to act in the interests of the European Union and European citizens.

And bear in mind, when we as EU commissioners hold meetings, everything is done in a transparent way.