Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department has a network of agricultural attachés throughout the embassy network. Through the Department of Foreign Affairs and the embassy network, we have increased significantly the footprint of Irish diplomats and supports all across the world. The Bord Bia team is phenomenal. In my short time in the Department and in this role, I have been impressed by the young dynamic talent we have all over the world in terms of opening those doors. Therefore, there should be no barrier to small innovative companies, which are looking for those niche markets and which are look for support in areas, because it is not only a matter of language.

The Deputy is correct to point to the fact that Brexit provides us with this opportunity when we become the only English-speaking nation in the EU but there are also cultural challenges. In different areas there are different cultural emphasis that are important for a company to be aware of for their customers and that is the type of insight that our agricultural attachés, our diplomatic team and agencies such as Bord Bia can provide. I am happy to link any small companies looking to break into new markets with those support services.

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