Mr. David Cooney:

I agree fully with the Deputy. It is very important that we maximise our resources. Ours is a small country with limited resources and should avoid duplication. We work closely with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on a number of fronts. My Department's responsibility in the trade area is one of trade promotion. We are responsible for the Export Trade Council which meets periodically during the year under the chairmanship of the Tánaiste and brings together all Ministers involved in the trade area, representatives of private enterprise and other Departments. My Department also looks after the joint trade commissions we have with a number of countries including Russia and Saudi Arabia, the St. Patrick's Day programme and we task our missions with particular actions. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is responsible for the two largest agencies engaged in trade and investment promotion, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. We co-operate with those agencies directly as well as with Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and others.