Mr. John O'Connell:

There has not been an audit per seof what has been lost but there is plenty of evidence to show that when a branch closes, lending drops, particularly for the SME sector. According to a UK study, it is as much as 64%.

As for skills lost, the Deputy makes a very good point. These are regulated, highly professional individuals with a skill in lending that cannot be immediately replaced. Therefore, a headcount perspective is not the correct way to look at it. There should also be a skills aspect to what is in the industry and what is required in the industry.