Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 April 2014
151. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or his departmental officials attend Export Trade Council meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10482/14]
View answerMy Department has responsibility for the Export Trade Council, which I chair, and which works to strengthen cooperation and coordination across all Government Departments and State agencies involved in the promotion and development of trade, tourism and investment and to oversee the coordination and implementation of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. I have chaired every meeting of the Export Trade Council since its inception in 2011 accompanied by officials from my Department. The Secretariat to the Council is provided by the Trade and Promotion Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The membership of the Export Trade Council consists of the Ministers for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Minister of State for Trade and Development; senior officials from other Government Departments/offices (Department of the Taoiseach; Department of Education and Skills; Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Revenue Commissioners) as well as the heads of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland and representatives of the private sector, including IBEC and the Irish Exporters Association.
