Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 102: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on plans for a trade mission to Kazakhstan in 2007; if it is intended that there will be a Ministerial delegation as part of this trade mission; the estimated cost of this trade mission; his goals and targets for the trade mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8327/07]

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As part of Enterprise Ireland's mission to grow global export sales, the Moscow office of that agency is running a Market Study Visit to Kazakhstan from 12th to 16th. March. The visit is part of a number of initiatives designed to introduce Enterprise Ireland client companies to one of the world's fastest growing economies (average GDP growth of 9% p.a. since 2001) and to tap the many market opportunities, in what is the world's ninth largest oil producer. The visit will also support the in-country activities of the growing number of Irish companies already active in the Kazakshstani market.

As the initiative is a Market Study Visit, and not a Trade Mission, there will be no Ministerial component to the visit. However, Mr. Justin Harman, the Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Kazakhstan, who is based in Moscow, will actively participate in the visit. There are currently seven Irish companies intending to travel. The range of activities include:- individual itineraries of buyer meetings for the companies; a dinner for participants and their clients; and a networking reception co-hosted with the Kazakhstan European Business Association, which, for the first time, will also mark Saint Patrick's Day in Kazakhstan. The latter event will also be used to promote Ireland into the wider Kazakhstani business community and several non-participating Enterprise Ireland clients will use the event for product and service marketing. Full logistical and on-the-ground support, including the provision of meeting space, is also being provided to participants during the course of the visit. The net cost of running the visit and associated events will be less than €10,000.

This visit is part of Enterprise Ireland's commitment to Irish companies seeking to access the Kazakhstani market. This process began with a seminar in Dublin in July 2006 on conducting business in Kazakhstan, an October 2006 Education Mission to that country and the development of the Russian language Enterprise Ireland website with a Kazakhstan domain. Last year's Education Mission to the country resulted in multiple contracts for the twelve visiting Irish colleges and will shortly see up to forty Kazakhstani scholarship students per annum coming to study third level courses in Ireland in colleges such as: the University of Limerick; Dublin Institute of Technology; Trinity College Dublin and Waterford Institute of Technology. This mission also resulted in the signing of a major contract for the supply of English language training to staff and pilots at Air Astana, Kazakhstan's national airline.

Enterprise Ireland's focus will be to assist client companies seeking to develop opportunities in the following sectors: oil and gas support services; building and construction services; telecommunications; banking and financial services; agricultural machinery; and consulting. In the context of the Market Study Visit, nearly all of the companies participating are coming to Kazakhstan for the first time; however Enterprise Ireland would be confident that their time spent in the country will result in real business for the participants and increased exports for Ireland. It is worth noting that several Irish companies already have a strong business presence in Kazakhstan. Three Irish players of note include one with significant oil sector support operations in Atyrau; another which is in the process of delivering a €5.5m oil platform support barge; and a company which provides significant training services in Almaty.