Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions. Mr. Sherry pointed to the growth potential in that region. Is it intended to increase the number of offices and operate something like what Ireland House has done in other jurisdictions? What has been the effect of closing the office in Malaysia? Has that featured in the agency's assessment of its impact in that area at present? How does Enterprise Ireland engage with the new embassies in Thailand and Indonesia, which are also huge growth areas? Has the agency assessed the potential for maximising the opportunities for Irish industry in that area?

The Irish Exporters Association said that there is scope for better leverage of resources of the local Irish chambers of commerce to grow Ireland's trading relationship in that region. Does the agency see itself linking directly with the chambers of commerce here and in the region with a view to maximising the advantage from Ireland's point of view?

The potential for the education sector in this area has come up in submissions made to this committee previously. I raise the issue of the potential for the education sector in this area and the extent to which Mr. Sherry sees the potential for the sale of our educational facilities abroad, thereby creating two opportunities, one in enhancing the reputation of our education sector and the other in establishing vital contacts and links with trade and business interests in the ASEAN region.

Other members referred to the growth potential and I also want to emphasise that. How does the agency propose to address the challenges of the diverse cultures, which was mentioned by previous speakers? I refer to languages, religious backgrounds and so on, all of which need to be assessed in the context of the degree to which we can benefit from accessing those markets.