Mr. Bernard O'Connor:

That is a very complex question and putting it all into a one-minute answer will be difficult. Nevertheless, one of the issues for a GI is that one of the production processes needs to take place in the area. Whether that includes the production of glass, as opposed to the cutting, carving and blowing of it, will need to be discussed among the committee members. This would, I think, address one of the Deputy’s issues, namely, the availability of molten glass in Waterford. It is clear we need to get some form of a motor going again in the building-up of skills in Waterford. It seems that needs to be done through an arrangement providing for a greater number of apprenticeships among those who already have an economic benefit from the name. We think we need to work with the local technological university to build those skills.

We also need to work with those producers who are outside of Fiskars and educate them as to what exactly the advantage of a GI is. We know from the food sector that a GI gives a price advantage over the equivalent commodity product of between two and three times, which is a significant benefit for this branding as a GI. As I said, we do not yet have experience in craft and industrial products but we can expect something similar from the registration of the GI.