Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 23 March 2023

Public Accounts Committee

2021 Financial Statements of Enterprise Ireland: Discussion

9:30 am

Mr. Leo Clancy:

It always changes the approach. We are watching the Windsor Framework to see what its impact on us and implications for us might be. We have been remarkably successful over the past five years. Since 2016, Enterprise Ireland has reacted very quickly to Brexit and has helped companies to get up to speed and understand their customs obligations to adapt to the changing market. We have helped thousands of companies to get their heads around how to continue to trade with the UK and that has been very successful. In terms of the sectors into the UK, I spoke to someone yesterday who supplies into the construction industry who told me that they are seeing a resurgence in demand for materials in the UK. That was my experience. I was in the UK over the past two months and our own team said the same thing to me. It said that the worst predictions we would have had for the UK economy in terms of financial matters have not transpired and the UK economy seems to be holding up well. In terms of the mix of clients selling into the UK, I do not think we anticipate any major change. There will be things at the edge like-----