It has never been the practice to disclose the names of companies availing of the export credit insurance scheme or to give details of the amount of cover they have individually received. This is confidential information relating to the commercial operation of the companies concerned. Its disclosure would be inappropriate and would not be in the best interests of the companies concerned. In any event, it would be virtually impossible for me to give the Deputy details of the names of companies who have held export credit insurance in the period in question as there is a continuous turnover of companies using the facility each year. I can, however, tell the Deputy that at present there are about 400 companies covered by the scheme involving exports to 20,000 buyers in over 90 countries. These companies are involved in various manufacturing, processing, distribution and services related activities. Examples would include food, drink, chemicals, computer and telecommunication equipment, machinery and technical services contracts.
For the period 1 January 1980 to 30 September 1990 claims paid amounted to £43.3 million. In the same period recoveries of claims paid amounted to £15.3 million. Total exports covered by the scheme in the period amounted to roughly £5 billion. Amounts notified to the Insurance Corporation of Ireland as at 30 September 1990 on which claims might be payable stood at about £12.3 million.
I should point out that the 1989 and 1990 figures included in the above totals are not audited and have therefore been estimated on the basis of the latest available information.
The above figures exclude amounts in respect of beef exports to Iraq in 1987 and subsequent years.
