Written answers

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Trade Promotion

6:00 pm

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 39: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the programme of work for his department and Irish embassies in the area of trade promotion overseas in the time ahead. [20095/11]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The promotion of Ireland's economic and trade interests has always been a core function of my Department and the Embassy network. This role has become even more crucial in the face of the economic and financial crisis and the need to drive an export-led recovery. It was given further impetus by the recent transfer to my Department of responsibility for trade promotion

Our Embassies abroad have access to the highest level of host country Governments, business and the media. They offer a valuable platform and access abroad for the State Agencies with which my Department works very closely and they are also in a position to assist a wide range of Irish exporting firms whether in manufacturing or services. Ambassadors operating in a range of key priority markets chair local trade, tourism and investment teams with the participation of the State Agencies. These teams are working to implement a market plan for 2011 based on Agency targets. The plans will be updated on an annual basis and their overall implementation will be reviewed by the new Export Trade Council which I will chair and which will hold its first meeting before the end of this month. The Council will include the relevant Government Departments and the State Agencies and, in accordance with the Programme for Government, I will invite participants from the private sector to participate in its work.

The transfer of trade promotion functions to my Department will result in an even closer working relationship with Enterprise Ireland, including in relation to trade missions led by myself or the Minister for State for Trade and Development, Jan O'Sullivan TD. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and I are currently considering proposals for such missions for the remainder of this year. I also intend to include a strong trade and economic dimension to my planned visit to Japan and Korea in October, when I will participate in the annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Ireland Business Forum. I will visit Moscow in the Autumn and it is anticipated that a meeting of the Joint Economic Commission between Ireland and Russia will take place at that time.

We have Joint Economic Commissions with a number of key countries and responsibility for these has also transferred to my Department as part of the new arrangements for trade promotion. In general, meetings of the Commissions take place every two years, alternating between Ireland and the other country and they offer further useful opportunities to support trade promotion. I am confident that the enhanced role for my Department in trade promotion will facilitate an intensified focus on this work in close co-operation with the other involved Departments and the State Agencies both at home and throughout the Embassy network.

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