Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2014
91. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of personnel that were employed in the trade division of his Department prior to March 2011; the number employed in that division at present; the responsibilities of his Department in relation to trade promotion; the responsibilities that have been transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14686/14]
View answerThe Trade Division in my Department is made up of Trade Policy Unit, Export Licensing Unit and Bilateral Trade Unit. Prior to March 2011 there were 6 staff members assigned to Bilateral Trade Unit, 3 of these posts have since been transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Trade Division now consists of 16.1 (full time equivalent) staff and they deal with bilateral contacts with our export markets and support for trade missions, the range of international bilateral free trade agreements being negotiated by the EU (e.g. with the U.S., Canada, Japan, ASEAN, Latin American and North African countries), negotiations at the World Trade Organisation and export licensing.
Arrangements were made in 2011 for the transfer of responsibility to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of certain trade related functions. These are set out in Statutory Instrument No. 247 of 2011 and include functions relating to the Government strategy for the promotion and development of overseas trade, tourism and investment referred to in Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy – A Strategy and Action Plan for Irish Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015. They comprise managing and chairing the Export Trade Council (formally the Foreign Trade Council) and convening, chairing, managing and developing Joint Economic Commissions. The Government published a review of this Strategy on 24 February last.
The Export Trade Council (ETC) was established in 2011 in order to strengthen cooperation and coordination across all Government Departments and State agencies involved in the promotion of trade, tourism and inward investment. I am a member of this Council, which is chaired by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Joint Economic Commissions are formal intergovernmental bodies that provide a forum for discussing issues that relate to the development of economic and business cooperation and scientific and technological cooperation.
Export Trade Missions are an essential part of trade promotion. Those relating to trade and investment are for the most part prepared and managed by the development agencies under my Department, such as Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. They support the long term development of target markets for both trade and investment. Trade mission activities are based on the specific requirements of companies and sectors involved as well as, of course, on the target market involved. The objective of each mission, e.g. Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, Education, Innovation etc., influences the form of Ministerial participation, that now frequently involves Ministers from across Government. My aim is to maximise the potential of these events to bring Irish businesses into direct contact with business opportunities abroad, by targeting sectors and countries where there is significant potential.
My Department retains responsibility for Trade Policy including policy within the framework of the EU Common Commercial Policy and the World Trade Organisation. Discussions on free trade agreements, liberalisation of world trade in the context of the WTO or using other avenues to expand opportunities for our exporters are directly linked to the sectoral enterprise and investment policies being developed by my Department and its Agencies.
