Mr. Ian Talbot:

They are interesting and relevant questions. The issue with the BRIC countries, particularly trying to focus on small businesses exporting into new markets, is that it is quite hard to trade in some of those countries. One must learn different cultural approaches. In the case of sales in China, for example, one does not show up with a good product, have one meeting, make a good presentation and sell. One must build up a relationship over an extended period of time. Exporting to Russia can be very complex. However, every time one reads the newspapers the news is all about the BRIC countries, their huge markets and so forth. We must play to our strengths as a small country with international connections everywhere. There might be other markets besides the BRIC countries where we could make an impact more easily, particularly for small business. That is our main thought in that regard.

On the Single Market and Europe, in some ways we think of the Single Market as a given. It is a vitally important market. However, we do such a good job already in our co-ordination with Europe that when we were putting the presentation together we were thinking of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and how it could break into new markets outside Europe where there are embassies and offices of Enterprise Ireland, EI, the Industrial Development Authority, IDA, and so forth. Europe is very close to home but is also vitally important.

With regard to the EU-US trade agreement, in the documents we produced in advance of the Irish Presidency we stated that there was great potential for that agreement to make progress. Again, Ireland has a unique relationship with the US and this is a great opportunity. It was great to hear President Obama in his speech overnight specifically seeking to kick that process off.

On eliminating the overlap, there is always a balance. We like competition as well. One of the advantages Chambers Ireland has is that there is a chamber of commerce in virtually every town in the country. It gives us a great geographic spread and feel. How to resource that model is also a challenge for us. As members of the committee will be aware from their local chambers, the chambers of commerce have stripped their operations back from where they were five or six years ago. Chambers Ireland has reduced its staff from more than 20 to fewer than ten people. With regard to competition with other organisations, IBEC tends to be very industry-focused while we are geography-focused. There is a chamber in every town and that is vital to understanding what is happening in our communities, in local government, in the regions, as well to infrastructure building and so forth. While there is competition and probably small levels of overlap, we each provide a key service in the market.

I will ask Mark O'Mahony to comment on the effectiveness of the UKTI website.