Dr. Olive McCarthy:

This issue has been debated for a number of years. We were here in 2019 discussing what the eventual number should be. At that time we were between three and seven and we ended up at five as a compromise at that stage. This is what we are seeing internationally, that is where we are coming from. In many countries there is a minimum of three. The idea behind that is to help organisations to get started. Sometimes seven seems to be quite a large number for a group of individuals in a community who would like to do something in that community. It is interesting that while they might start with three, of course they need to have plans as to how they are going to grow from that. We are trying to make it as enabling as possible for groups to become established as co-operatives. We have a feeling that seven is quite a lot. I understand and take on board all the points that are made about seven but given international practice and also the principle of trying to support the establishment of more co-operatives in Ireland, we want to make it as easy and enabling as possible for groups to come together. That is where we are coming from. Dr. Carroll may have something to add to that.