Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on references in the 2006 bilateral agreement on an all-island economy (details supplied) regarding packages offered to investors by Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland; if she will address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40954/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The ground-breaking Comprehensive Study on the All-Island Economy, to which the Deputy refers, sets out a strong rationale for beneficial all-island economic activity. The strategic context for North/South co-operation, which is outlined in the study, highlights the "market-widening effect" of a larger market on the island of Ireland, where previously unexplored business opportunities are exploited and companies may redesign their logistical strategies to respond to these business opportunities.

InterTradeIreland, the all-island trade and business development body which is jointly sponsored by my Department and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland, has a central role to play in helping businesses North and South to tap into the all-island market place. It is implementing a wide range of North/South programmes, which provide opportunities for businesses to improve their competitive performance, and these include technology transfer, sales and marketing, sectoral business networks and promoting equity finance to accelerate business growth. It also undertakes vital research, provides information and offers advice to companies.

Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland have separate remits and operate in two different jurisdictions. Enterprise Ireland assists companies based in Ireland and has no role in providing support to companies based in Northern Ireland. Equally, Invest Northern Ireland offers grant-aid to potential investors in Northern Ireland and has no remit in this jurisdiction.

Enterprise Ireland is fully committed to an all-island economy and is working on a number of initiatives/programmes both independently and in conjunction with Invest Northern Ireland and InterTradeIreland. For example, Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding which provides a practical and sensible approach to enabling companies North and South to benefit from the overseas trade activities of each organisation and the Trade Mission/Trade Fair activities of each organisation. To date in 2009, 15 Northern Ireland companies have participated in Enterprise Ireland Trade visits/missions to Japan, US East Coast and Russia, and 6 on a Ministerial Embassy networking event in the UK. A number of Northern Ireland companies have also had access to Enterprise Ireland overseas offices and its Marketplace Service.

Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and InterTradeIreland have held seven "Bridging the Border" events over the last three years. These events are designed to promote joint opportunities between firms North and South in areas such as licensing agreements, commercial agreements, sub-contracting, technical co-operation and business partnerships. Information is provided on agencies' support programmes as well as one-to-one meetings with potential business partners.

Other Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland initiatives include:

Propel Programme: A cross-Border entrepreneurship initiative for fledgling entrepreneurs in the six counties of Northern Ireland and border counties in Ireland. The Programme follows the success of a previous cross border entrepreneurship initiative (the Transform Programme).

Innovation Voucher Scheme: This all-island scheme initiative was launched jointly by Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland in May 2008. The scheme provides SMEs based in Ireland with access to a further 10 knowledge providers based in Northern Ireland and allows Northern Ireland based SMEs access expertise in a further 38 knowledge providers in Ireland. To date 14 companies based in Ireland have completed projects with Northern Ireland knowledge providers and 8 Northern Ireland companies have completed projects with Ireland based knowledge providers. The agencies are continually engaged in close co-operation on the development of this efficient and effective cross-border initiative.