Ms Br?d O'Connell:

Around 60% of our members export. The total value the 2,000 to 2,300 businesses with us currently that employ 150,000 people contribute more than €15 billion to the Irish economy. They collectively contribute more than €50 billion to the global economy, so they are certainly exporting. We have members, as I mentioned, from home-grown businesses such as Kingspan to big pharmaceuticals that operate with 50% or more added value here. Our export numbers are very high. We have noticed very recently that members are actually using the Guaranteed Irish symbol to export. Therefore, now the Guaranteed Irish symbol is beginning to travel and we want help from our Government colleagues in that area because we have the infrastructure built, our groundwork and research done, and we know it has a value.

As we know, Irish businesses push an open door overseas, for the most part thanks to all the work done by the Department of Foreign Affairs. etc. The reality is this is another tool in the arsenal to help to get those introductions. Our next role after such events as this is to speak to our colleagues in the diplomatic field to try to see what we can do with our Guaranteed Irish members. We are open and eager to push that.