Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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145. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the details of international Enterprise Ireland offices abroad; the location, number of full-time and part-time staff employed in each; and the costs of offices and staffing for each international office on an annual basis, in tabular form. [30161/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland is the state agency under my aegis with responsibility for helping Irish companies to internationalise and scale. The manufacturing and internationally traded services companies that Enterprise Ireland works with are a critical source of existing employment and job creation in every county in Ireland and are spread across a wide range of sectors.

Enterprise Ireland client exports grew by 6% in 2016 reaching a record high of €21.6bn. Under its Strategy 2017-2020, EI has a target to increase client exports to €26bn, notwithstanding the challenges of Brexit and other global developments. 

Enterprise Ireland’s overseas structure through its network of 32 overseas offices and its extended Pathfinder (Trade Consultant) network provides client companies with access to Incubation and Hot-Desking Facilities, local market knowledge on a sectoral basis, introductions to buyers/suppliers/partners, and market intelligence such as competitor analysis, identification of professional services etc.

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.  

Table 1identifies the location and the cost (pay and non-pay) of running Enterprise Ireland’s overseas offices in 2016 and the current number of full time and part time staff employed these offices.

Table 1: Cost (pay and non-pay) of running Enterprise Ireland’s overseas offices in 2016 and the current number of full time and part time staff employed these offices.