I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 30, 32 and 165 together.
In relation to Deputy Andrews's question on the increase in exports since the summer of 1995, I am presuming that he means the increase since the summer of 1994.
The latest trade figures available from the CSO are for March 1995. These figures show that the total value of trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic for the first quarter of this year was £322 million — this compares with £297 million for the same period in 1994 and represents an 8.5 per cent increase.
Any increase in the total volume of North-South trade is welcome, of course, in that it indicates that economic relations are rising to their natural level. It seems clear, however, that for the last 25 years, economic development in the North has been seriously inhibited by the situation obtaining there. As the North attempts to develop its exporting sector, its exports, in the short term, will tend to rise at a faster pace than our own. This is to be welcomed because, as the economy of Northern Ireland develops, the economy of the island of Ireland as a whole will benefit.
The high level of co-operation which already exists between State agencies on both sides of the Border has resulted in the development of exciting new initiatives, designed to assist companies throughout the island to take advantage of the new opportunities which are emerging on both sides of the Border since the cessation of violence. These initiatives include workshops, conferences and numerous publications aimed at encouraging companies which have neglected the market in the past to explore and develop its potential.
The recent ABT guide to the Northern Ireland market, "Opening the door to new profit", details the main areas of marketing opportunity within the North. This publication complements the 15 Market Opportunity reports produced earlier in the year which act as a guide to various market sectors in Ireland. The reports were created in response to the lack of basic market information, which was a serious impediment to trade development. They provide comprehensive data, including detailed listings of purchasers in the major industrial, public sector, consumer and tourist markets.
I am confident that ABT, with the co-operation of many representative bodies, will continue to build on the positive working relationships which they have established with their counterparts in Northern Ireland, to guarantee increased trade and a better economic climate throughout the whole island, North and South.