Vol. 440 No. 7
57 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the support services and funds available, if any, to assist the Irish indigenous industry to promote and develop the export market; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are currently a wide range of support services on offer to assist indigenous industry to promote and develop export markets. Services provided by An Bord Tráchtála include individual company consultancy work, market research and in-market developmental work, trade fairs, trade missions and financial assistance towards export promotion costs.
ABT will spend almost IR£40 million, including an Exchequer subvention of IR£34.8 million, on trade promotion activities in 1994, most of which will be focused on assisting indigenous industry. These activities form part of a new six-year market development programme, currently under discussion with the EU Commission in the context of the National Development Plan 1994-1999, aimed at increasing exports from Irish indigenous industry by 9 per cent per annum over the period of the Plan.
Indigenous industry exports rose last year by 8 per cent to an estimated IR3.9 billion, bringing growth in exports to 30 per cent from the sector over the past five years.
