Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Yes. We worked with and supported it and indicated categorically that we would financially support research and development and training. It is therefore wrong to claim the State did not intervene and support SR Technics and its local management. The recovery proposal was sent to Zurich and not accepted by the company. The company indicated to me on 11 February what would happen and, as the Deputies know, it made its final decisions on 12 February.

It is also important to understand that those who made the bids were aware of the process. The process first involved the bid going to SR Technics and not to the team comprising IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. The project details and expressions of interest were sent from the team to SR Technics directly or otherwise for the benefit of interested parties outside the State. The bids were being supported on that basis that, if a bid were to be successful-----

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