asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state, in view of the present balance of payments difficulties and the urgent need to increase Irish exports, what aid Irish representatives abroad give to prospective exporters in finding markets, making marketing arrangements, and so on; and whether this type of service has been extended in any way in recent times.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Export Markets for Irish Goods.
16.
Irish representatives abroad are required, in accordance with explicit instructions, to accord first priority to work concerned with the promotion of exports and other foreign earnings and the services of our diplomatic and consular missions are at all times at the disposal of Irish exporters seeking new or extended markets abroad. Assistance is given by our missions to Irish exporters in a variety of ways and in particular by——
general market research, market research for particular commodities, establishing contacts between Irish exporters and foreign importers and import agents, advising Irish exporters or their representatives on which importing interests they should meet and arranging such meetings, replying to specific trade inquiries from Irish exporters, pursuing the possibilities of store promotions for Irish goods abroad and Irish participation in foreign trade fairs, making representations as and when necessary to foreign governmental authorities about import restrictions and other matters of concern to Irish exporters, furnishing commercial reports on foreign firms or individuals, keeping in touch with market developments generally in the countries concerned.
Irish representatives abroad are fully alive to the special and active attention they must give to their economic and trade functions particularly in the context of the present balance of payments difficulties and the Second Programme for Economic Expansion which envisages a substantial increase in commodity exports and in foreign earnings generally in the present decade. In the past year, arrangements have been made for closer liaison between my Department and missions abroad on the one hand and Irish exporting interests and State-sponsored bodies concerned with foreign trade and earnings. The economic training of officers of my Department has been intensified and, in the case of officers being posted abroad for the first time and those on home leave, special emphasis is placed on visits to and discussions with Irish exporting firms and on briefing by the economic Departments and the appropriate State-sponsored bodies.
Will the Minister not agree that our Embassies abroad are showing very poor results, despite the long list of duties they have to discharge, as our balance of payments position in relation to countries in which we have Embassies indicates?
I could not possibly start an argument with the Deputy on the question of the balance of payments but if he will look at the figures for our manufactured exports and our exports of processed foods in 1956 and compare them with the figures for 1965, he will find that, even with our balance of payments difficulties, we have made tremendous progress.
Is the Minister aware that the general bulk of the people, including many trading people, believe that the main purpose of our Embassies is to entertain members of the Government when they like to travel abroad, which is reasonably often?
That is a gross libel on these officers. I and other Ministers have experience of these officers and I know that they are fully equipped to deal with all these questions involving exports and the stimulation of exports. They work in very close liaison with Córas Tráchtála which could not maintain offices in all these countries.
Are they not showing very poor results? Our balance of payments position proves that.
I deny that they are showing poor results.