Ireland is in danger of losing its position as the world's second largest exporter of computer software unless the sector develops its skills in export sales, FAS director-general, Dr John Lynch, has stated.

Dr Lynch said software sales required high levels of presentation, communication and negotiating skills and, with the complexity of selling into international markets, the level of skills required was even higher.

Because of this, FAS had recently introduced an export sales training programme for the sector, from which 15 sales executives from 15 companies had recently graduated. FAS intended to run another programme in the late autumn, according to Dr Lynch.