Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Annual Report 2014: Enterprise Ireland

1:30 pm

Mr. Kevin Sherry:

In 2014 the growth rate was 42% from a low base. We need to achieve higher growth rates in these markets because we are coming from a low base but, more importantly, it is not just about looking at the growth rate in a particular year but over a longer period because it requires that level of commitment. We will not have a figure of 42% every year, but we need to remain committed to these markets. The United Kingdom is and will continue to be our most important export market. It is important for us that, as we have seen in the past five years, exports to the United Kingdom as a percentage of our overall exports have declined. While they grew strongly last year, at almost 8% and as a percentage of our total exports, the figure has declined. That is good news because it means that we are reducing our dependence on this market.