Mr. Fergal O'Brien:

I will make one further comment. It is clear from our discussions this morning that there has not been sufficient impact assessment of these proposed changes. It is clear that the ability of businesses to pay mandatory demands will not be a factor in setting those demands. The risks associated with challenging the viability of businesses, threatening jobs in them or threatening the future earnings and career prospects of their employees, even if they do not lose their jobs, are very significant. The reality is that we do not know the answers. In the absence of that information on and understanding of the complexity of all of these issues, these measures and proposals should be dropped for now. They need much more in-depth scrutiny.