Mr. Tom Hayes:

I will address a number of those points.

An emergency response is something we will certainly take on board. In 2009, when the financial crisis arose and the economic scenario was at its worst, we introduced an enterprise stabilisation fund to help and support companies that were vulnerable but viable. Owing to the banking crisis and the economic difficulties, these companies may well have gone out of business were it not for the support. Between 600 and 700 companies were supported under that scheme. Largely, we put preference share support into those companies. We examined the companies' prospects, trading record and future prospects. Within the past 48 hours I read an application from one of those companies seeking research and development support. The company, which employs 47 people, might not be in business today were it not for support at that time. That is the nearest to an emergency response. Deputy Tóibín mentioned companies which are vulnerable but viable, but with support from us or from outside, they can be sustained and maintained.

I take Deputy Calleary's point on the SLA and the agreed funding. We are working through that issue. The implementation working group and the three subgroups are meeting on that issue and another meeting is planned for next week. We will come back to the committee on what comprises the SLA as it is still at the early stages, but it will be worked through during the coming weeks.

We are conscious that the majority of companies have to test the product or business on the domestic market initially. There is always a cohort of companies that think globally from day one. In the telecommunications industry, it can have an application in China or the US almost from day one. For most companies the home market is vital, whether it is a consumer product or a product that can be sold to international companies. I refer to my own days overseas. If someone came to me wanting to sell to a department or public utility in that territory, I would ask how that person got on in his or her home market, who had bought from him or her in Ireland, and if the Department or local public utility bought from him or her because, if not, it was going to be difficult for an exporting company to take on the products in foreign countries. The home market will continue to be vital in terms of preparing companies and ensuring they have the necessary skills, management development, training and capability to grow and develop.