Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
262. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if IDA Ireland put out a tender for a full-time United Arab Emirates based business development consultant in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [21417/24]
View answerAn important element of IDA Ireland’s strategy is to diversify its market reach by broadening the geographic profile of investment. To support this objective, a ‘Pioneering Markets’ team was established within the Growth Markets Division of IDA in 2019, tasked with extending IDA’s global footprint. This approach has been supported by the appointment of a number of in-market part-time business development consultants located across multiple geographies who are responsible for identifying target companies with potential for investing in Ireland, engaging with senior decision-makers in these companies and promoting Ireland as an inward investment location.
I am advised that in relation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), IDA Ireland issued a part-time tender, for 2 days a week, in 2022. The successful candidate's contract commenced in January 2023 for a two-year term, with the option to extend for an additional 2 years.
