Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 December 2017
142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which her Department continues to pursue market opportunities for Irish products globally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53485/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland is one of the world's most open, export-based economies. For Ireland, with a small domestic market, expansion to other markets is a prerequisite for our economic prosperity. Export growth in Ireland has been exceptionally strong in recent years, reaching a new record level of €259 billion last year.
The Government is strongly committed to promoting diversified export markets for our indigenous sectors, particularly in light of the potential economic impacts of Brexit. It is imperative that companies maximise opportunities to not only sustain and grow their exports to the UK but also to continue to diversify their export base.
Enterprise Ireland has an established process for working with companies as they identify opportunities and begin to enter new markets. Enterprise Ireland’s overseas structure, through its network of 33 overseas offices and its extended Pathfinder (Trade Consultant) network, has the capability of providing client companies with the appropriate support in markets where there are identified opportunities matched by client capability and demand. The activities of Enterprise Ireland’s overseas network are supported by the Market Research Centre and Strategic Marketing Unit based in Dublin, along with a range of financial and capability developments supports aimed at helping client companies to compete and win sales in overseas markets.
Ireland’s membership of the EU is absolutely critical in terms of global market access, not only to the 27 markets within the single market, but also to third country markets through EU negotiated Free Trade Agreements. Irish businesses benefit significantly from Free Trade Agreements with third countries in a range of ways, including the elimination of market access barriers and red tape and the abolition of tariffs. These existing EU agreements and new trade deals will continue to be very important for Ireland in terms of promoting Irish products around the world. Ireland works actively and closely with the European Commission and other institutions in the negotiation of these agreements, and my Department is responsible for promoting our national policy positions in this regard.
Earlier this year, the Government published a new trade strategy, ‘Ireland Connected: Trading and Investing in a Dynamic World’ which commits Ireland to deepening our enterprise resilience by intensifying our connections in existing markets and diversify to new markets; capturing new sectoral opportunities; and build more Irish companies of scale. In this context, Enterprise Ireland is consistently working with client companies focusing on enhancing their competitiveness, capability and levels of innovation to assist them to diversify into new markets. The Strategy also supports an extensive programme of ministerial-led trade missions, as part of the drive towards market diversification.
In August, the Government announced plans to double Ireland’s global footprint by 2025 which will further expand our investment and trade footprint in foreign markets through the provision of increased resources for diplomatic missions and state agency offices overseas.
