John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The development of a world-class all-island economy is of strategic importance and strongly complements our mission to accelerate the development of world-class Irish companies. There is a long history of co-operative action between North-South enterprise agencies to achieve mutual benefits. Close co-operation has been established between Invest NI and Enterprise Ireland. Since 2006 clients of both agencies can access market services, trade missions, overseas offices, trade fairs, seminars and market development programmes provided by each agency. In 2011, two Northern Ireland companies participated in two Enterprise Ireland trade events and 23 in six client knowledge forum events.

The all-island innovation voucher initiative, jointly launched by Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI, provides Irish SMEs with access to a further ten knowledge providers based in the North, and allows Northern Ireland based SMEs use Invest NI innovation vouchers to access expertise in research institutions based in the Republic of Ireland.

The Acumen programme is an all-island business development programme managed by InterTradeIreland and supported by Enterprise Ireland, Invest NI, FÁS, Údarás, and county enterprise boards and is designed to stimulate cross-Border sales and co-ordinate development among SMEs North and South to establish and build market presence in the other jurisdiction.

The IDA and Invest NI have been involved in areas of mutual interest which have centred on improvements in infrastructure, such as roads, airports and electricity and creating centres of critical mass such as in Letterkenny and Derry. The agency has participated in the north-west cross-Border gateway initiative through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The focus has been on a range of various elements of Government policy and planning. I am confident there is strong co-operation between these enterprise development bodies which is contributing worthwhile cross-Border benefits.

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