asked the Minister for External Affairs what help Irish Embassies abroad give to individuals or to trade missions from Ireland when they arrive seeking extra outlets and new markets for exports.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade Assistance by Irish Embassies.
2.
Our Embassies and Consular Offices abroad are prepared to give to trade missions and individual exporters from Ireland every appropriate assistance within the limit of the scope of their functions. In particular they will be prepared to set up programmes of suitable business contacts, to advise on import formalities and on trade restrictions affecting the commodities of interest, to supply information on presentational and marketing methods and to advise, where necessary, on the selection of import agents.
I can assure the Deputy that I would like to see our exporters and intending exporters making maximum use of the services of our Embassies and Consular Offices. In order to secure the full benefit of the services which the Missions are in a favourable position to give, it is desirable, if not essential, that they should, where possible, be given advance notice of trade visits and of their precise purpose.
Is the Minister aware that, despite his statement that they are prepared to give every appropriate assistance, inside the past month a delegation of the NFA, led by the President, Mr. Rickard Deasy, went to London to negotiate for markets and better prices for our livestock and were completely ignored?
I thought we got all those in the Trade Agreement.
In reply to the Deputy, I am not so aware.
Further, is the Minister aware that his colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, gave explicit instructions to the Irish Embassy that this delegation was to be boycotted and completely ignored?
The Deputy suggests they went over to negotiate better prices, as if to imply they were going to negotiate with the British Government. The purpose of the NFA visit to London was to have discussions with their counterpart organisation there.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries gave explicit instructions to the Irish Embassy that they were to be boycotted and completely ignored, that the Embassy obeyed his instructions and that the delegation was boycotted and completely ignored? Is the Minister for Finance or the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries denying that?
Bringing in the dirt again. I am denying it categorically.
The Minister may deny it if he likes; it is quite true. It happened.