John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There was a presence in Taiwan and funding for it was stopped. The other 16 countries in Europe who are there do not understand why that was done. That is their view on it. I am getting the view of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland today. I believe the agencies should fund an office in Taiwan because of the volume of goods and services being requested and being made and delivered from that location. There are 200 Irish people there who are connected to some of the biggest companies in Taiwan and, bar one, their expertise and knowledge of the market has never been exploited either. All of the effort is centred on China and the other Asian markets and Taiwan has been shoved to one side. I urge that the position would be reviewed. I have asked Ministers to review the matter previously. I was told that it has nothing to do with the One China policy. It is about a market of 24 million people. I see all the other offices there. It is difficult to see a market of 24 million people where we are not represented. The witnesses might say Taiwan is serviced from mainland China but that is no substitute for a greater effort in the marketplace.