Enda Kenny
Ceist:29 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will outline the trade delegations he intends to lead to encourage employment in the country over the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Trade Delegations.
As the growth in exports is a major contributor to our economic performance, it is important to ensure that all means are taken to support and promote the activities of Irish exporters.
An Bord Tráchtála is the Government agency with prime responsibility in this area and one of the functions of the board is the arranging of trade missions. Already this year I, or my Ministers of State, supported Irish export promotions or missions to the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, Portugal, the US, Hungary, Poland, USSR and Iran. In addition, we supported inward buyer missions from the following markets: UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
As regards forthcoming missions for the remainder of the year, I will shortly be leading a joint ABT/IDA business mission to South Africa.
This year I also hosted my opposite numbers from the Trade Ministries of Japan and Korea in Dublin for discussions on trade and economic matters and these were occasions which I used to further the interests of Irish exporters.
In so far as inward investment missions promoted by the IDA are concerned, I visited various countries in Europe, the US and the Far East.
The 1992 schedule of ABT and IDA overseas promotional programmes and inward missions to promote trade and to encourage inward investment are being finalised by the agencies at present. The key economic factors in overseas markets and their importance to Ireland obviously will be taken into account when these programmes are being finalised. As a general rule, I incorporate into each mission abroad a mix of government-to-government meetings aimed at promoting Irish policies and multilateral issues such as GATT as well as direct support for export and inward investment activities aimed at developing bilateral ties.