Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are concentrating on increasing our market share in Europe. There is a number of trade missions organised. A number have taken place in Europe but we are also doing more into Europe.

I visited Singapore a couple of months ago, for example, with a company in my own county. We see considerable potential to increase our market share in Singapore because they are particularly interested in food. One company is exporting in the region of 20,000 ducks per week to Singapore.

There are many more opportunities in that market. I was delighted when I was there to be able to open a chain of restaurants called Duckland for this businessman. He has a very successful company. He is focusing particularly on Irish produce and is using his Duckland restaurant chain to sell Irish products because he is very impressed with their quality. We need to continue to look for new markets because they are out there. At the same time, we will continue to trade with the UK. Only recently, I was on a trade mission to Manchester and Birmingham. We need to work more closely than ever before with our trading partners in the UK.

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