Trade promotion and economic messaging are key elements in all visits abroad undertaken by myself and the Minister of State for Trade and Development. My visit to China in July of this year, organised by my Department and the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing, in close cooperation with the state agencies, had a strong trade and investment focus including targeted meetings with Chinese companies interested in investing in Ireland and potential partners for Irish exporters, several business networking and investment events, a promotional event with Tourism Ireland and the announcement of the achievement of full market access for Irish salmon to the Chinese market.
Last week, I met with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in London on a visit which focused on opportunities for Irish financial services companies. During the visit, I hosted an Enterprise Ireland event for senior executives from thirty Irish technology and financial services companies and their key UK-based clients from the banking, insurance and retail sectors. Organised in close cooperation between the Embassy of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the annual event is designed to support Irish software and financial services companies to increase exports to the UK and create jobs in Ireland. It is Enterprise Ireland’s premier financial services sector event in London, where financial services is a key target sector.
Since 2011, I have led several trade-focused visits to the US and the UK as well as individual visits, focusing on trade and economic promotion to China, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, Korea, Uganda and Kenya. The then Minister of State for Trade and Development Jan O’Sullivan led a trade-focused visit to Vietnam in 2011 and her successor, Minister of State Joe Costello has led trade-focused visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria and also accompanied the President on his recent visit to Mexico and last year’s visit to South America (Brazil, Argentina and Chile), both of which included a substantial trade focus.
In addition to the visits outlined above, I agree the programme of Enterprise Ireland trade missions each year with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation based on the proposals submitted by Enterprise Ireland and focused on the priority markets of interest to their client companies. Enterprise Ireland Ministerial-led overseas trade missions and events, organised with the active support of my Department’s Embassy network, are an important element of the Government Trade Strategy, which recognises the valuable role they play in developing and creating new trade, tourism and investment opportunities for Ireland.
Ten Enterprise Ireland trade missions have been led by myself and Ministers of State from my Department since the formation of the Government. In 2011, then Minister of State for Trade and Development, Jan O’Sullivan TD led Enterprise Ireland trade missions to Saudi Arabia/Qatar and to South Africa. In 2012, Minister of State Joe Costello led Enterprise Ireland trade missions to Turkey, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. This year, I led an Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Turkey and Minister of State Costello has led Enterprise Ireland trade missions to Canada, Belgium and South Africa/Nigeria. Enterprise Ireland does not release the names of companies that accompany Ministers on trade missions as this is commercially sensitive information. The travel and accommodation costs for the travelling Minister and two officials are borne by Enterprise Ireland.
The benefits flowing from such trade missions are realised over time making it difficult to measure accurately the jobs or total exports secured as a result of a specific trade mission. However, Enterprise Ireland provides information on contracts won during trade missions as appropriate. These contracts won and the contacts made during trade missions lead to job creation and long-term economic benefits for Ireland. In 2012, indigenous exports reached a new record level of €16.2 billion and net job creation from inward investment was at its highest in ten years. This level of exports and investment is greatly supported by Ministerial-led trade missions and the continued strong interest from companies in participating demonstrates clearly the value placed on such trade missions.
