Ms Marie Devitt:

I will comment on the number of meetings, etc., for a new partner.

When new partners sign up with us, they do not have to take on a student or a graduate for a placement but 99% of the time, that is why they want to become a partner and want to get involved with us. There could be four, five or six meetings in advance of any concrete decision being made as to who will be placed where. There is a huge nervousness within companies about saying or doing the wrong thing or not being able to support somebody adequately but what gives them a great sense of security is that Ms Ringwood and I and our colleague, Ms Emer Murphy, make it very clear that we are the support network for the entire internship. I do the initial meetings, which explore whether a role might be available, and the company then goes off and discusses it internally. Then Ms Ringwood comes in. Once they have identified a role, we have further meetings. Ms Ringwood might want to talk to that.