Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

We had a very robust analysis. KPMG was involved with the UK credit insurance scheme so we were using some of its knowledge. We were operating from a different base than the United Kingdom at the time. We carried out a forensic analysis and we have a comprehensive picture of the market. Only 4% of Irish exports are insured. The existing cover is heavily concentrated in one sector, the food sector, and on a single market, the United Kingdom.

There was much consultation and several dozen companies were involved. I met the farmers and representatives of the Irish Exporters Association and a number of the big food companies. Enterprise Ireland was very much involved and used a cohort of its companies. The plastics sector was included also. We had a broad inquiry and we had considerable in-house knowledge on the basis of several meetings I had with many people.

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