Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House, congratulate and compliment her on the comprehensive report she has given to the House and wish her success in her challenging Ministry. Never before have we had needed such a Ministry to be as successful as we need it to be now. The programme for Government identifies that Ireland's economic growth must be export led and commits to achieving the maximum growth in exports, including the long-term development of new markets. The Government has clearly signalled its commitment to this objective by having two Ministries with a trade-export remit, the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, at which the Minister of State has responsibility for trade. We all welcome and are very encouraged by the latest external trade figures published yesterday by the CSO which show a significant increase in exports in September, despite all the difficulties in the global economy. There was an 11% increase in the balance of trade surplus in September, month on month, amounting to €4.113 billion, just short of the all-time high of €4.183 billion achieved in June. There was a 4% increase in exports in the first eight months of the year by comparison with the same period last year.

I welcome the commitment given by the Government to implement progressively the recommendations included in the strategy and action plan for Irish trade, tourism and investment to 2015, entitled, Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, developed by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation last year. This is an integrated strategy and global in scope. It covers both established and new high growth potential markets. The targets set are ambitious. By 2015, it is hoped to create 150,000 new jobs in manufacturing, tourism and traded services, with a similar number of indirectly created jobs. The targets are to increase the value of the exports of indigenous companies by 33%, increase the number of overseas visitors to Ireland by 1 million per annum and secure an additional 780 inward investment projects through IDA Ireland. The strategy document is impressive in that it includes an in-depth analysis of recent performance across the three sectors and an aggressive action plan to build on existing strengths with a view to driving trade relations with established, new and emerging economies.

The strategy adopts a two-pronged approach focusing on particular markets and sectors. It identifies the potential to further grow existing key markets and, most particularly, increase or gain a foothold in high growth and high potential markets such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and key Middle Eastern countries. It sets a number of specific targets for our performance in key areas, to be achieved by 2015. These targets, agreed by the relevant State agencies — Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland — are to be implemented through a suite of actions driven by them.

Trade missions comprise a key element in achieving trade expansion. I encourage the two relevant Departments to increase the number of trade missions, although many would want to scale back on travel. However, trade missions are particularly productive, as the Minister indicated.

I welcome the setting up of a new export trade council to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination across all Departments and State agencies involved in the promotion and development of trade and exports. This is a most positive development and pulls together all the key players, including Ministers, departmental officials, exporters, companies and business representatives.

Ireland's economic recovery will be driven by an increase in exports and the attraction of additional visitors.