Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. In 2011, we exported food and drink worth approximately €150 million to Russia. In the meantime, there has been a substantial increase in these exports. The Minister of State referred to a modest impact, but this does not include the displacement factor. I know someone who exports a substantial quantity of food to Britain. His competitors are from central Europe. If they cannot export eastwards as they traditionally do because their products have been banned from Russia, they will export westwards. As such, some of our exporters are facing greater competition. I hope that the relevant agencies are not just examining the direct impact, but also the indirect impact of displacement.

I remember reading a figure in an Enterprise Ireland report to the effect that its client companies accounted for approximately 45% of total exports to Russia.

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