Mr. John Shine:

In terms of the comparison with other member states, a significant variety of supports and arrangements are in place. There are also federal models and so on. Considering the size and nature of the situation in Ireland, I do not think there is a particular model that necessarily springs to mind.

We cannot say what is the best way of doing it.

To touch on a point I made earlier, one of the issues, with the exception of the agricultural space and, for example, group water schemes and housing, is that to a large extent the culture has not really been there to consider and develop co-ops in other areas. For instance, there are some huge industrial conglomerates in Europe that operate under the co-op model. That simply does not exist in Ireland. There is a very different culture that is very well established across the piece in many European countries. That is not necessarily the case in Ireland.