Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 36: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the work being undertaken in developing bilateral trade relations with India; if he will encourage high level diplomatic and trade interests to visit Ireland; if he will consider issuing a formal invitation to the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to visit Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20078/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government attaches importance to developing our trade and bilateral links with India. The latest available data shows that total merchandise trade has continued to increase over the last three years. We will be building on the excellent relations that exist between our two countries to further enhance our trade, investment, education and tourism links.

The Strategy and Action Plan for Irish Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015 has identified India as a key high-growth and high-potential market for Ireland, and the local market team set up under the Strategy, with the participation of the relevant State Agencies, and chaired by our Ambassador is already working actively to develop further trade links. A local market plan for India has been prepared by this team and its implementation will be reviewed by the Export Trade Council, which I will chair, and which will hold its inaugural meeting later this month.

In order to build on our trade and investment links with India, both Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland have established offices there. Our Embassy in New Delhi also supports SFI in their work to develop valuable science and technology links with India, such as through the recent SFI researcher's symposium held in Bangalore in March.

High level visits are a valuable means of advancing bilateral economic relations. Useful discussions on economic and trade related issues were held with Mr Salman Khurshid, the Indian Minister for Corporate Affairs, during his visit to Ireland in June 2010. My colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD led a trade mission to New Delhi and Mumbai in April, to promote trade and education and met with the Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, TD visited New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai for St. Patrick's Day in 2011, and met with a number of Government Ministers to discuss strengthening the economic ties between Ireland and India. There is an outstanding invitation to the Indian Prime Minister to visit Ireland.