Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to improve competitiveness in the manufacturing and service sectors here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41850/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Maintaining the competitiveness of the enterprise sector in Ireland is a priority issue for my Department and our development agencies. In order to sustain and grow the manufacturing sector, Irish based manufacturing enterprises will be encouraged and assisted to continue the progression to high value added sectors and activities, and continue to increase productivity through investments in human capital, technology and innovation. The productivity gains that flow from innovation are the new foundations for competitiveness. The Report of the High-Level Manufacturing Group, which was launched earlier this year, contains some 26 recommendations directed at key areas of innovation and productivity leading to transformational change, reskilling and management development which will ensure Irish manufacturers can continue to compete successfully on international markets and provide high value sustainable employment.

The Social Partners agreed, as part of the recently concluded review of Towards 2016, that a Manufacturing Forum should be established, in line with the recommendations of the High Level Group on Manufacturing. This matter will be progressed by my Department in consultation with the Dept. of the Taoiseach and the Social Partners.

We continue to be one of the world's leading service exporting countries and are currently ranked the 10th highest exporter of services in the world. In Sept 2008, I launched the report of the Services Strategy Group, "Catching the Wave: A Services Strategy for Ireland". This report sets out new policy proposals on how we can ensure the continued development and growth of Ireland's services sector and outlines how to maximise the future returns to the country from services activities in all enterprises, both current and potential. I believe that the implementation of these recommendations will enable Irish service companies to exploit new and exciting opportunities, such as eLearning, business and financial services, professional and consultancy services and others. My Department is working in conjunction with other Departments to progress the implementation of these recommendations.

We fully acknowledge the vital role that the services sector itself and the growing services element within manufacturing companies will play in Ireland's future economic performance. Yesterday I launched Enterprise Ireland's "Strategy for Internationally Traded Services" which sets out priority initiatives that Enterprise Ireland will focus on for the growth and development of the services sector with a view to increasing exports. Their Strategy will focus on maximizing the performance of companies that are already active on export markets, on encouraging companies that are currently only trading locally to expand their markets abroad, and on fostering a new breed of start-up services companies with exporting potential. Enterprise Ireland has analysed the needs of service companies and is responding by aligning its resources with these needs.

We are clearly focused on the needs of both manufacturing and the services sector and have the strategies in place to deliver growth, strengthened productivity and improved competitiveness.