Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary)
2:10 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise Ireland are putting resources into Austin, Texas. Wherever possible, we have an Ireland House approach and I will find out for the Deputy whether both are sharing accommodation in Austin. Wherever we can, we do that as it is an effective approach. In any location where there is an ambassador, the ambassador is head of a team and co-ordinates the work across the agencies, not just our agencies but others like Bord Bia or tourism agencies. There is a united front and a sharing of information and they share a programme within each market. The export council which was established by the previous Government and is now chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charlie Flanagan, is currently reviewing country plans to see whether we can enhance programmes through the sort of approach suggested by the Deputy.