Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The agency is one for which State funding will run out at the end of next year. After that, it will effectively be on its own with regard to availing of any possible revenue streams. From that point of view, the functions in the Bill give it a remit, in effect, to operate commercially. To make this even more explicit, subsections (5) and (6) of amendment No. 10 state that the agency may exploit commercial opportunities arising from its functions and may receive income arising from or make payments in respect of any of its functions referred to in subsection (1).