Mr. Ian Brannigan:

The LEOs do not yet have the required expertise, for the reasons mentioned by the Chairman. It is a fast moving, diverse sector. We have noticed in counties Mayo, Sligo and Galway that there is almost an underground aspect to much of this, especially among young people. My colleague, Ms White, recently attended the Rough Draft festival, although that is the wrong word for it. Many creative technology people come together at their own cost to discuss how to improve their businesses.

At the first festival I attended two years ago there were 200 present and I was the only person from the public sector in the room and they would not let me speak. They were, in effect, 200 micro-businesses. That is the level of knowledge available, which one cannot read in a book. As Senator Feargal Quinn said, one has to engage with them. That is one of the reasons I would like to see a regional aspect to enable people to develop these links directly with the client base.

It would help them to build it up and LEOs and others to channel support to them.

On the impression that they must work for nothing, it is a question of making it a viable career. The rewards are huge. Our research has shown specifically that many salaries are lower because they are lifestyle-based or seasonal. There is an acceptance of this and it allows people to work on the periphery. There is no doubt that in some cases it is an apprenticeship. That is why we would like to see a greater awareness of the career path in these emerging sectors to make entrepreneurial skills more apparent in order that people will work more for themselves and in that way develop self-worth in order that they will not feel they are being exploited in some way, while still learning the skills because ultimately it is their business.