Ms Mary Blanchfield:

Going back to Deputy Stanton's question about threats, one of the threats we would have to consider here are the resources and the cost involved in making these applications. As Mr. Kennedy said, they could go up to five years. As I said earlier, Mr. Kennedy has been working with two groups. There is a cost involved, and time and resources from the producers themselves. More often than not, these producers are small groups, and they are coming together in their own time voluntarily to do this. Therefore, going back to the Deputy's question about threats, there is a cost that would have to be looked at.

With regard to the MADE in Kilkenny application for the status it received, that was a wonderful achievement for Kilkenny. We have been working in that regard. The local authority is driving that now with regard to keeping that status for Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council has put together a working group and commissioned a strategy to be done by a strategist around keeping the status for the county of Kilkenny. A member of Design and Crafts Council Ireland is also on that working group.