Mr. Bernard O'Connor:

I thank the Deputy for the question. The legislation sets out a timeline and requires Ireland to notify the Commission by 30 November 2024 as to whether it intends to do something. Ireland then needs to implement the rules within one year by the end of December 2025. Those are the two legislative dates. We have not engaged with the Department, although we have tried to. The Department has regularly told us it is dealing with it and that when it is ready, it will talk to us.

Unfortunately, it has not been ready to talk to us so far.

The skills are dying and the people are dying. People are retiring or whatever. There has been the taking on of two apprentices in the craft shop in Waterford. That is a good sign in bringing something back. There seems to be, through the current user of the trademark, the idea that it needs to boost something in Waterford but we need to move quickly.