Willie O'Dea
Question:42 Deputy Willie O’Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding plans for his participation in trade missions during 2012. [16229/12]
View answerThursday, 29 March 2012
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Written answers
Trade missions are a valuable support to Irish business in developing markets abroad and are particularly important in the context of the export-led growth which is crucial to our economic recovery. I can assure Deputy Martin that since becoming Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have been active in promoting opportunities for Irish companies overseas, both through targeted trade missions organised by Enterprise Ireland and in the course of broader working visits abroad. The Deputy will be aware that I have just returned from Canada, where my visit for St Patrick's Day provided the opportunity to meet with political and business leaders as well as members of the Irish Community based there. The programme for my visit was developed in close consultation with the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland and supported the valuable work that they do in promoting Ireland as a place to do business and to visit.
My colleague, the Minister of State for Trade and Development Joe Costello, is currently leading an Enterprise Ireland trade mission, comprising 25 Irish companies, to Turkey. There are plans for similar trade missions this year led by myself or Minister Costello to London, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. I also hope to visit China this year. As the Deputy will be aware, I am undertaking a programme of travel related to Ireland's Chairmanship of the OSCE. Insofar as it is possible, I use all my overseas visits to enhance Ireland's reputation and promote our economic interests.
Proposals for trade missions to be led at Ministerial level are developed by Enterprise Ireland on the basis of the priority markets being targeted by their client companies. The programme of trade missions for 2012 was submitted by Enterprise Ireland simultaneously to both the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and myself, reflecting the close involvement of both our Departments in trade-related matters, and at the meeting of the Export Trade Council last month, which I Chair, we considered the overall programme of trade missions for 2012 as they relate to our priority markets.