John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry to cut across Mr. Sherry, but I know all that. My question is about Taiwan and a market of 24 million people. One can go there and be served New Zealand lamb and Scotch whisky but one would find it hard to get anything to do with Ireland. The complaint being made is that there is no presence. One cannot work a market unless there is someone in it. If I am not mistaken, there are 16 other European countries working that marketplace. How do the witnesses expect to get any share of the market, which is worth €500 million in exports and imports? How do the agencies hope to exploit the arrangements between Taiwan and China on the protocols and cross-trade agreements that are in place or in the protection of intellectual property rights? The view has been taken that it is quite safe to do it this way than by going directly to China. Another issue relates to the movement of Chinese factories into Vietnam and how they are being built. Yet, we have nobody in Taiwan.