Vol. 458 No. 3
27 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the total value of exports for the first six months of 1994; the comparative figures for 1995; if he will give a market breakdown of such figures; the targeted growth areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16924/95]
CSO statistics for the first six months of 1994 show that total merchandise exports were valued at £10.9 billion.
Latest CSO figures for 1995 are available only up to May and show that total exports for the five month period have already reached £10.9 billion this year, an increase of 21.5 per cent on the same period last year, broken down across markets as follow: UK, 22.9 per cent; Northern Ireland, 2.7 per cent; Mainland Europe, 46 per cent; North America, 9 per cent; Rest of World, 19.4 per cent.
ABT and Irish companies continue to seek growth in business from our traditional markets in the UK, Europe, North America and-or new markets in ASEAN, Far East and Central and Eastern Europe.
An Bord Tráchtála are currently promoting a particularly intensive campaign to encourage indigenous exporters to seize new business opportunities emerging in the enlarged EU Single European Market, under the banner "Opportunity Europe". This involves a dual strategy of supporting the 800-plus Irish companies at present selling in Continental Europe and encouraging Irish exporters who have already been successful in Britain to expand into other European markets. ABT are projecting an increase of 17 per cent in indigenous exports to Europe for 1995. Special emphasis has also been placed on encouraging companies to identify opportunities in the Northern Ireland market, and ABT are continuing their high levels of activity, in support of indigenous exporters, in Central and Eastern Europe, where considerable growth has already been achieved in recent years.
