“Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy”, the Government Trade Tourism and Investment Strategy 2010-2015, runs to the end of 2015. The Strategy was however reviewed in 2014. This involved a long process of consultation with Local Market Teams abroad, the Embassy network, Government Departments, State agencies and also with the private sector through the Global Irish Economic Forum and the Export Trade Council.
I would add that, under the existing Strategy, a number of new actions were initiated. For example, the Export Trade Council (ETC) which I chair, was established, as were the Local Market Teams chaired by our Ambassadors in priority markets. The ETC oversees the implementation of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy and facilitates the close coordination of Ireland’s trade, tourism, investment and education promotion overseas.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has opened new diplomatic missions in recent years across South East Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Irish Embassies and Consulates provide a platform abroad for the promotion of Ireland as a business, investment, tourism and education destination. Of course, our engagement in emerging markets should not come at the expense of our efforts in our more established markets, such as the US, UK and Europe.
The St. Patrick’s Day period is of course a unique opportunity for us to promote greater awareness of our country overseas. We have worked hard, particularly in recent years, to increase Ireland’s profile abroad. The Embassy network worked closely with Tourism Ireland to arrange for 170 iconic buildings and landmarks around the world to be illuminated in green this year as part of Tourism Ireland’s “Global Greening” campaign. Trade, tourism and investment in Ireland were promoted at 148 dedicated business events, attended by almost 18,000 Irish and international company representatives.
My Department also engages with the Irish Diaspora throughout the year and later in November will host the fourth Global Irish Economic Forum here in Dublin. Many of those attending are members of the Global Irish Network. This Network works closely with the Government and State agencies in promoting Ireland’s economic, cultural and tourism messages in key markets.
The Embassy network also continues to work very closely with State agencies and other Government Departments on the planning and implementation of Ministerial-led international trade missions and to promote Ireland, Irish companies and Irish products overseas.
Having reviewed the Strategy in 2014, Government Departments, the Embassy network and the State agencies are currently continuing to implement the Strategy and its Review. The Review set out sectoral priorities and focused on how Departments and State agencies can coordinate better overseas, recognising that actions to improve the domestic enabling environment are being comprehensively addressed through the Action Plan for Jobs process.
On a successor to the current Strategy, my Department, through the structure of the ETC, has initiated a scoping exercise with other Government Departments, State agencies and private sector members, to consider possible future approaches in the trade, tourism, investment and education areas. Bearing in mind the relatively recent completion and continued applicability of the Review, there is a widespread view that a full consideration of the successor Strategy would most appropriately be taken forward next year.
