Ruairí Quinn
Question:52 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the plans, if any, he has to promote trade between Ireland and the former COMECON group of countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Trade With Former COMECON Countries.
Ireland's trade with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe has traditionally been low. The bureaucratic restrictions of the old centralised system and hard currency shortages have been the major cause of Irish exporters' lack of interest in the region.
With the collapse of State-trading systems, Central and Eastern Europe is likely, in the medium to long term, to provide a significant market for Irish goods and services. From a strategic planning viewpoint, we cannot afford to ignore the opportunities involved. Now is the time to start building economic links with the countries of the region.
In the past two years An Bord Tráchtála has established offices in Warsaw, Budapest and Prague. These offices have played a major role in servicing the growing Irish interest in the countries concerned.
Also, in co-operation with An Bord, my Department pay particular attention at EC level to developments in Central and Eastern Europe and actively seek to promote links with the region.
In furtherance of this policy, I led Trade Missions during 1991 and 1992 to Poland, Hungary and CSFR. The Minister for Trade and Marketing also led a Mission to Russia and the Ukraine in March and is due to lead one to Hungary this month.
The main emphasis of these missions has been on promoting Irish capabilities in consultancy and services. There are enormous and immediate possibilities for the export of Irish expertise to Central and Eastern Europe. In fact, I would see the consultancy and services sectors as providing the bridgehead for building our economic links with the region.
Against this background, I am glad to say that there already is, amongst key decision-makers in Central and Eastern Europe, a rapidly growing awareness of Ireland as a source of high-quality expertise. Ireland's experience of economic transformation over the past 30 years is actively acknowledged in such quarters as being of major relevance to the needs of their own newly emerging market economies.
In practical, business terms, with growing awareness of the relevance of both Irish experience and expertise has already been reflected in the involvement of an increasing number of Irish firms in multi-lateral funded projects in Eastern Europe. This is the starting point from which, I am confident, further links will grow.