Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of foreign trade missions in the past five years; the follow up that takes place post trade mission; the number planned for 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8503/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The number of trade missions undertaken in the past five years is listed below.

Enterprise Ireland surveys participating companies within a few weeks of each Trade Mission to evaluate the effectiveness of the event and to gather comments and suggestions from their clients. This information is then used to improve and modify future events.

Ministerial-led Trade Missions are an integral part of this Department's work to develop and expand Ireland's exports to existing and new markets abroad. It has been the experience of my Department, and of the companies participating in such missions, that the presence of a Minister enhances the opportunities for the companies involved and achieves a higher level of recognition and access for companies to the various target markets. During my term as Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment since 2004, missions led either by myself or by one of my Ministers of State have proven very successful and significant opportunities have resulted for the companies involved, with consequent benefits for Irish trade.

I have been closely involved in several Taoiseach-led Trade Missions each January. As just two examples of the success of such Trade Missions for the expansion of our exports, I would like to point out that in the year following the Trade Mission to India in January 2006, total exports increased by 38% on the previous year. In the case of the Trade Mission to the United Arab Emirates in 2007, while data for the full year 2007 are not yet available, it seems likely that merchandise exports to that country will have increased by about 36% compared to 2006 and, in the case of Saudi Arabia, which was also part of that 2007 Mission, the likely increase in such exports for last year will be about 11%.

For the first half of 2008 we envisage a total of 11 such Trade Missions. Exact details for the rest of this year have not yet been finalised but it is likely that the total for the full year will be in the region of twenty missions.

Details of the number of Ministerial-led Trade Missions undertaken in the last 5 years are as follows: