Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are very conscious of this. There are more trade missions lined up for this year than ever before because we are going to have to sell into new markets or increase the scope of what we do in existing markets. Japan is open for specialist custom in the beef sector, and China and America. We can still do much more in the Nordic countries and in some of the eurozone countries. For example, when I was in Warsaw to meet the Polish Prime Minister we opened the new Bord Bia office. It is a great thing to have them all working together in the one unit, so that anything to do with Ireland is going on through the diplomatic services, through Enterprise Ireland, the IDA or Bord Bia. Every Minister going abroad this year for St. Patrick's Day will have a trade mission element around what they do. Whether it be far or near, there will be a set programme that will be approved by Government before they go so that everyone knows that they are doing the brand work for Ireland as well.

I remember dealing with Connect Ireland just after I was appointed Taoiseach. I believe in that project. It might have been incorrectly structured at the beginning with the IDA, and I know that there were some pressures and differences of opinion as to how that happened. However, every job is a job, and when we had no jobs, to count them in fives and tens was very important. Connect Ireland has many ambassadors all over the world who promote Ireland at every opportunity by many means, so I will discuss that with both the Minister and the chief executive of the IDA.