Written Answers Nos. 163-179
163. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to return business supports available to their original ceiling to those impacted by the latest public health advices and guidelines in 2021 and into the first two quarters of 2022. [61026/21]
View answerThe Government continues to support businesses through these challenging times and recognises the impact that the new measures will have on sectors such as hospitality, the arts and entertainment and the night-time economy sectors.
On Friday the Government announced a package of financial interventions for the hospitality, events and entertainment sectors. The package includes:
- a change to the CRSS or EWSS, details of which will be confirmed very shortly by the Minister for Finance;
- an extension of the targeted commercial rates waiver at least until the end of March;
- an extra €25 million from the Covid contingency fund applied to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, in particular to assist the live entertainment, arts and performance sectors.
As the Deputy will be aware, the PUP has also been reopened for workers who lose their jobs or have lost their jobs as a result of the newly announced restrictions.
Details of existing supports can be found on my Department’s website: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie). All business supports are being kept under review to ensure that they are timely and target those that need them the most.
164. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the changes made to the minimum wage in Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54311/21]
View answerOn 12 October 2021 the Government accepted the recommendation from the Low Pay Commission to increase the National Minimum Wage to €10.50 per hour from 1 January 2022.
This represents a 30-cent increase, or just under 3%, on the current National Minimum Wage of €10.20 per hour and will see at least an estimated 135,000 people get a boost to their wages. As a result of this increase to the National Minimum Wage, the Minimum Wage rates for those aged 19 and under will also increase. Details of these relevant changes are set out in the accompanying table.
In order to ensure that the increase in the National Minimum Wage does not result in employers attracting a higher level of PRSI charge solely due to this increase, the employer PRSI threshold will increase from €398 currently to €410 from 1 January 2022.
|
Category of Employee |
Hourly Rate |
|
Aged 20 and over |
€10.50 |
|
Under 18 |
€7.35 |
|
Aged 18 |
€8.40 |
|
Aged 19 |
€9.45 |
165. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount expended by his Department in each of the past five years to date in 2021 on electricity costs in tabular form; and if he will provide an additional schedule that sets out all energy costs associated with their ICT hardware, that is, servers and so on in tabular form. [60935/21]
View answerAccommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. The Department and its Offices are located in 11 locations across the country in Dublin, Carlow, Cork, Ennis, Kilkenny and Sligo.
The Offices of the Department include:
- Companies Registrations Office (inc. the Registry of Friendly Societies and the Register of Beneficial Owners)
- The Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI)
- Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE)
- The Labour Court
- Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)
Typically, the Department and its Offices are in shared accommodation, either with other Government Departments, public bodies and/or the private sector. Bearing this in mind, and the differences in the range of facilities management systems in place across each of the occupied buildings, which are overseen by the OPW and/or by local Management Companies on behalf of the relevant landlord, it is not possible to extrapolate the ICT related costs from the overall electrical costs expended in each location.
The total electricity related costs borne across the Department's Vote, inclusive of the Offices, is set out in the table below. For additional context, these costs cover a staffing cohort of c. 850 to 900 each year or so over the period.
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 year to date |
|
|
Electricity costs (including ICT related) |
€334,159 |
€322,426 |
€298,551 |
€255,067 |
€234,309 |
166. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61033/21]
View answerThe Government has agreed to a timed amendment to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021.
This will allow time, as I outlined on the floor of the Dáil, to examine the issues carefully and to ensure that all stakeholders are consulted.
I have given the matter careful consideration and to this end a consultation process will commence as soon as possible and will involve engagement with organisations representing retired workers.
168. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the disruptive technologies innovation fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61035/21]
View answerThe Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) was established in 2018 to encourage collaboration in the development and deployment of disruptive innovative technologies, on a commercial basis, targeted at tackling national and global challenges. It is managed by my Department with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland.
DTIF focuses on the ability of Irish enterprises to drive disruptive innovation through collaboration on industrial research with other enterprises and research institutions. The Fund is open to partnerships working on projects that have the potential to significantly alter markets or the way businesses operate. It encourages private co-investment by lowering the risk profile associated with investment in high-risk, high-reward innovations. Applications to the Fund are required to, inter alia, demonstrate the potential to develop and deploy novel and disruptive technologies in line with the Research Priority Areas 2018-2023.
A total of €235 million has been allocated to 72 projects with 270 project partners over the first three DTIF calls to date. This funding will give the companies involved opportunities to grow their business, even when trading in increasingly competitive markets, through the development of innovative products and services. These enterprises will be in a strong position as the Irish and global economies rebound once the pandemic ends.
A Budget allocation of €67 million was made available for 2022 to fund claims from the successful projects under calls 1 to 3 and projects arising from the fourth DTIF call that I launched last month. The closing date for receipt of applications is 10 February 2022 and I look forward to receiving a further set of strong and innovative projects which will have the potential to change the status quo across a range of business sectors over the coming years.
169. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which employers are awaiting approval of employment visas; if particular steps are required in the short term to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61058/21]
View answer172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications for employment visas here; the average length of time taken to process these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61061/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 172 together.
Applications for Employment Permits have seen a significant increase over the course of the year. As of the end of November, some 24,058 applications were received, representing a 62% increase over the same period in 2020 (14,846) and a 40% increase on 2019 (17,101), which itself represented an 11 year high in applications. My Department has issued some 14,254 employment permits since the beginning of the year, which represents a significant volume of activity.
As a result of the HSE cyber-attack, employment permit applications associated with the July Doctors rotation (which occurs twice yearly in January and July) had to be submitted either manually or through other non-standard methods. This resulted in a significant additional administrative burden in dealing with these applications, requiring staff to be temporarily reassigned to assist in the process and had a direct impact on wider processing times for other permit applications.
An Action Plan has recently been developed to tackle the backlog, with both human resource interventions and systematic changes. These include additional staffing resources, a new ICT system and interim ICT solutions. In terms of systemic changes, working with the Department of Health and the HSE, we are also streamlining how we issue permits to doctors. This will bring significant efficiencies and eliminate the practice of having to re-issue a permit every 6 months to the same doctor who needs to change hospitals as part of their rotation.
Over the next 18 months a new ICT system will be developed and implemented to reduce the labour requirement of the Section. In the interim, the ICT Unit have conducted initial investigations and found short-term fixes that will help efficiency and filter out permits applications when it is evident that they cannot be granted. This will reduce interactions between staff and applicants for data corrections or clarifications.
My Department updates the employment permit processing timelines on its website on a weekly basis and regularly issues updates on relevant employment permit matters to Trusted Partners such as the update on employment permit processing timelines. As of 7th December 2021, the Employment Permits Unit are processing Standard Applications received on 11/08/21 and Trusted Partner Applications received on 03/09/21.
170. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he remains satisfied that foreign direct investment remains secure notwithstanding international taxation changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61059/21]
View answerIn July, the Government took the decision to join 140 member states in signing up to the OECD’s International Tax agreement. For the overwhelming majority of enterprises in Ireland, nothing changed. For the 95% of enterprises outside of the scope of the agreement, it is very much business as usual.
The small number of larger companies affected by Ireland’s decision to join the OECD agreement now have much-needed clarity, a long-term view, and the assurance of enduring stability and certainty as they make decisions about where to invest.
Investors are not deterred. The ongoing successes of my agency, IDA Ireland, demonstrate how secure the flow of foreign direct investment is into Ireland. Recent data show that in the first half of this year, IDA won investment from 142 companies, resulting in 12,530 jobs. This is a substantial increase on 2020 figures and bring us close to the record highs achieved prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. This remarkable performance in the face of Brexit, the pandemic, and a global downturn in FDI demonstrates our considerable and hard-won resilience.
Our tax rate is only one aspect of what Ireland offers potential investors. Companies who set up or expand in Ireland reap the benefits of our business-friendly environment, our highly skilled and educated workforce, and our commitment to the European Union and the Single Market.
Despite the challenges thrown up in the last two years, Ireland has proved once again to be a resilient, and stable platform for companies choosing to invest here. The decision on corporate tax has not impacted on Ireland’s reputation as a competitive, attractive, best-in-class location to do business.
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he expects the economy to remain competitive notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19, Brexit and inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61062/21]
View answerThe maintenance and improvement of Ireland’s competitiveness position is a key economic priority for Government especially in the uncertain environment of Covid-19, Brexit and rising prices.
The fact Ireland is such an open economy means it is important that we remain competitive when compared to peers as this will help ensure continued and sustainable economic growth over the coming years
At the heart of Ireland’s national competitiveness is creating an environment in which Irish businesses are able to compete successfully in international markets.
The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) published Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2021, which has identified four broad medium- and long-term strategic challenges aimed at enhancing Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity performance.
The Government has officially responded to all 20 of the recommendations that were set out by the NCPC in its report, indicating the range of actions and reforms currently or soon to be in train in response to the recommendations. These actions will support Ireland’s competitive position compared to its peers in coming years.
In addition, there is a need to capitalise on the opportunities Covid-19 has created which have the potential to enhance Ireland’s competitiveness in the long term, such as the acceleration of digital adoption and the possibility for more flexible working.
To take advantage of such opportunities the Government has committed to addressing the digital divide and enhance digital skills as part of the Economic Recovery Plan along with the publication of the National Remote Work Strategy earlier this year.
Brexit has also brought into sharp focus the need for Irish based enterprise to step-up their productivity and innovation performance and for Ireland's policy system to be agile in responding to the competitiveness challenges.
For example, in my own Department the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme Feasibility Funding supports detailed evaluation of early-stage opportunities for new impactful regional enterprise development projects along with grants.
This scheme along with others, such as the SBCI Brexit Impact Loan Scheme and the Microfinance Ireland Brexit Business Loan, will improve the capability and competitiveness of regional enterprises and encourage entrepreneurial activity among our SME community, ultimately reinforcing the competitiveness of the Irish economy.
The measures outlined above taken by the Government mean we can be confident the Irish economy will maintain and improve its competitiveness position compared to its peers in the coming years, despite the challenges we and other economies are facing.
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his vision for the recovery for the economy notwithstanding national or international factors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61063/21]
View answerThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the country. However, despite this disruption, the Irish economy has shown remarkable resilience. Using the latest quarterly national accounts data from the CSO, the economy grew by approximately 14.5% in GDP terms in the first nine months of 2021 compared with the equivalent nine months of 2020. While growth in 2020 was predominantly driven by activities in the multinational sector, growth in 2021 was much more broad-based, with domestic activity rebounding swiftly this year as the economy opened up. Robust growth in the domestic and multinational sectors is expected to continue in 2022, with the Department of Finance forecasting grow of 5.0% in GDP terms, while Modified Domestic Demand is estimated to grow by 6.5% next year.
The Economic Recovery Plan (ERP) published in June 2021, sets out the Government’s medium-term economic plan to rebuild Ireland’s economy. As well as committing to a package of supports and investments to assist enterprise recovery, the Plan outlines a medium-term policy framework to rebuild sustainable enterprises, encourage job creation and sustainable and balanced post pandemic growth.
The past 18 months have been difficult for most businesses, and some sectors continue to be impacted by public health restrictions. Last Friday's announcement regarding restrictions was a bitter blow for many businesses. Throughout the pandemic my Department and its enterprise agencies have engaged with and supported businesses within their remit and are continuing to do so as we face the current challenge of significant case numbers across the country.
The ERP set a target to exceed pre-crisis employment levels by having 2.5 million people in work by 2024 and in more productive and resilient jobs. There has been considerable recovery in employment across the economy in recent months with employment standing at 2.35 million (seasonally adjusted) although this is likely to be impacted by the latest restrictions required to protect public health.
The Plan adopts a two-pronged recovery approach to rebuilding sustainable enterprises; supporting the domestic SME sector, which is critical to broad-based jobs-led economic growth, whilst leveraging the enormous strength of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) sector. It aims to create an environment for a jobs-led recovery through a focus on expanding sectors and by helping business become more resilient and agile.
The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and catalysed new drivers of growth. Growing pressures and the increasingly obvious physical realities of climate change are requiring more ambitious commitments to climate action. Reflecting the importance of the green and digital transition, the ERP and related strategies commit to driving a step change in the adoption of digital, AI and other new technologies by Irish businesses, as a critical driver of enterprise productivity and competitive advantage and to supporting enterprise on its decarbonisation pathway. The ERP also includes a commitment to develop a National Clustering Policy and Framework to fully realise the economic potential from clustering. Clusters are now a major part of the industrial landscape internationally and an important policy instrument in driving the green and digital transitions and economic growth. Clustering is also a focus for both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to support their client companies and leverage synergies and spillovers.
Innovation, collaboration, and knowledge are the cornerstone of a sustainable growth model to ensure the country is equipped to embrace new and emerging opportunities. The education, training and research sectors will be supported to shift up a gear to rise to the challenge and our skills framework and architecture will be further strengthened to ensure people are supported to secure and remain in sustainable and quality employment through opportunities to reskill and upskill.
175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he expects the economy to recover and grow over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61064/21]
View answerThe Irish economy has shown remarkable resilience since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused unprecedented disruption across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the country. Many businesses are still hurting, and will be impacted by the most recent restrictions, but many businesses are also performing very well.
Economic growth in 2020 was predominantly driven by activities in the multinational sector, but growth in 2021 has been more broad-based, with domestic activity rebounding swiftly this year as the economy opened up. The Department of Finance is forecasting that GDP growth for this year will be 15.6% and the domestic part of the economy, as measured by Modified Domestic Demand, will grow by 5.2%.
This robust growth in the domestic and multinational sectors is expected to continue over the coming years with the Department of Finance forecasting growth of 5.0% in GDP for 2022 and 4.1% in 2023. This growth will also be reflected in the domestic economy with Modified Domestic Demand estimated to grow by 6.5% next year and 4.2% in 2023.
The Economic Recovery Plan (ERP) published in June 2021, sets out the Government’s medium-term economic plan to rebuild Ireland’s economy. As well as committing to a package of supports and investments to assist enterprise recovery, the Plan outlines a medium-term policy framework to rebuild sustainable enterprises, encourage job creation and sustainable and balanced post pandemic growth.
These measures will help to sustain the positive growth the economy has experienced over the last year and ensure it is sustainable over the coming five years.
176. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps taken or proposed to assist business and enterprise in both the manufacturing and services sectors given the impact and duration of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61065/21]
View answerThe Government has worked to support businesses through these challenging times with a wide range of measures for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, business continuity and trading online grants, COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme, the Future Growth Loan Scheme, commercial rates waivers and warehousing of tax liabilities. Details of the supports can be found on my Department’s website: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie).
On 3rd December the Government agreed additional public health measures to help to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We are very aware that specific sectors will be particularly impacted by these measures and that supports are needed to help many in these areas.
This is why there will be a limited re-opening of the Pandemic Employment Payment (PUP) to help those workers who may lose their jobs as a direct result of the introduction of the new restrictions.
A further extension of the current targeted commercial rates waiver for the first quarter of 2022 has been agreed for businesses in rateable premises. This will be put in place at an additional cost of approximately €62.3 million.
Furthermore, additional financial supports from the Department of Finance will be announced imminently and will provide timely assistance to those sectors affected by the recent necessary public health measures.
I would urge businesses to ensure that they are aware of what is available to them and apply for the appropriate schemes. It is important to note that all business supports are being kept under review to ensure that they are timely and target those that need them the most.
177. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the incentives currently available for small start-up enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61066/21]
View answerMy Department, through Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices, offers extensive assistance to new start-ups. In the first instance the Local Enterprise Offices act as a ‘first stop shop’ providing advice and guidance, financial assistance, and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business. The Local Enterprise Offices provide a ‘signposting’ service for all government supports available to the SME sector and can provide information and referrals to other relevant bodies under agreed protocols including Revenue, Micro Finance Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, LEADER, and Enterprise Ireland.
The Local Enterprise Office network can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the Local Enterprise Office can provide financial assistance within four main categories, Feasibility grants, Priming grants, Business Development grants and Technical Assistance (TAME) grants. However, it should be noted that the Local Enterprise Offices do not provide direct grant-aid to areas such as retail, personal services, local professional services, construction/local building services, as it may give rise to the displacement of existing businesses.
The Local Enterprise Offices also provide a wide range of high-quality business training and capability supports tailored to meet specific business requirements of anyone exploring self-employment as an option or for those who are currently operating a business.
The Start Your Own Business programme guides clients through the various aspects of business and business planning. The objective is to assist clients in critically assessing their business idea, its viability and to decide if they should proceed or take a step back. This programme covers a wide variety of topics designed to equip entrepreneurs to tackle the obstacles and opportunities presented in the current business environment.
The Mentor Programme is a service offered free of charge by the Local Enterprise Offices that allows business owners to work with an experienced mentor to identify solutions to areas of exposure within their business, develop strategies that are more robust, address issues and maximise potential opportunities. Business Mentors can assist business owners with the issue of access to finance for start-ups and can help in the completion of business cases and application forms.
Scaling and growing the export and start-up base continues to be a key priority for Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland helps entrepreneurs and start-up companies with business planning, mentoring and development advice, feasibility funding and finance. Enterprise Ireland supports new enterprises through the High Potential Start Up (HPSU) division. If a start-up business has the potential to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and €1m in export sales within 3 years of starting up, they may qualify for assistance from Enterprise Ireland as a High Potential Start-up (HPSU). The Innovative HPSU Fund allows Enterprise Ireland to offer equity investment to HPSU clients, on a co-funded basis to support the implementation of a company’s business plans. First time and follow-on equity investments in HPSUs are supported under this offer.
178. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports available for small and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing and services sectors that have been negatively affected by Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61067/21]
View answerThe Government has worked to support businesses through these challenging times with a wide range of measures for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, business continuity and trading online grants, COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme, the Future Growth Loan Scheme, commercial rates waivers and warehousing of tax liabilities. Details of the supports can be found on my Department’s website: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie).
On 3rd December the Government agreed additional public health measures to help to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We are very aware that specific sectors will be particularly impacted by these measures and that supports are needed to help many in these areas.
This is why there will be a limited re-opening of the Pandemic Employment Payment (PUP) to help those workers who may lose their jobs as a direct result of the introduction of the new restrictions.
A further extension of the current targeted commercial rates waiver for the first quarter of 2022 has been agreed for businesses in rateable premises. This will be put in place at an additional cost of approximately €62.3 million.
Furthermore, additional financial supports from the Department of Finance will be announced imminently and will provide timely assistance to those sectors affected by the recent necessary public health measures.
I would urge businesses to ensure that they are aware of what is available to them and apply for the appropriate schemes. It is important to note that all business supports are being kept under review to ensure that they are timely and target those that need them the most.
179. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which new markets for Irish exports overseas are being sourced on an ongoing basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61068/21]
View answerThe success of Irish products both at home and in export markets is crucial to the long-term growth of Irish businesses and the Irish economy. Enterprise Ireland, the agency of my Department which is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.
To strengthen Enterprise Ireland’s services to clients in international markets, the agency opened new offices including in Manchester in the UK, in addition to the existing London office, to support companies to capitalise on growth opportunities in the North of England.
New offices have also been opened in Munich in Germany and Lyon in France, with Enterprise Ireland’s team there and elsewhere in the EU and Eurozone actively connecting with buyers in the marketplace and linking them to Irish companies in sectors of opportunity such as Construction, Engineering, Life Sciences/Medtech and Food. By 2020 client exports to the Eurozone had grown to €5.85 billion, up from €4.1 billion in 2015, making this region the second largest market by value for Enterprise Ireland clients.
Each year, Enterprise Ireland offers a programme of trade missions, trade fairs and knowledge events which give their client companies based in Ireland the opportunity to connect with existing and new customers, access key decision makers, increase sales in international markets and exchange ideas. In recent years, the majority of Ministerial-led trade missions have taken place to the Eurozone, North America and Asia Pacific, which represented the strongest growth opportunities for Irish companies. These trade missions focused on promoting the innovative capabilities and competitive offerings of Irish companies to international buyers in sectors including internationally traded services, fintech, high-tech construction, engineering, ICT and life sciences.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ministerial-led trade missions and events took place virtually throughout Quarters 1 to 3 of 2021. Physical Ministerial-led trade missions recommenced in September 2021 with missions taking place to the UK, France and Germany and to the UAE and Qatar in October 2021 and to Canada and the USA and to Saudi Arabia and Dubai in November 2021. A trade mission to Finland and Liverpool took place in early December.
As well as the global efforts supported by our agencies, key to our success in growing exports has been our commitment to trade liberalisation in order to open new markets for our indigenous sectors. With a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets will be essential to our continued economic growth and, in this regard, Ireland will continue to support the EU’s ambitious programme of negotiating new Free Trade Agreements, opening new markets for Irish companies and increasing export and investment opportunities.
