Written answers
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
Trade Missions
5:00 pm
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of trade missions and where he has undertaken since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36869/12]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline the demarcation of foreign trade missions between him and the Department of Foreign Affairs in detail. [36870/12]
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together.
Trade Missions raise Ireland's profile as a world-class supplier of goods and tradable services, and increase awareness of Ireland as a competitive source of world-class expertise and products. They win access for Enterprise Ireland clients to key decision-makers in target sectors and influence foreign investors to use Ireland as a base for new service, manufacturing and R&D activity to serve world markets.
Government policy is to build on the strength of our existing markets and diversify into new ones. Ministerial-led Trade Missions are an integral part of this process. They help expand Ireland's exports to existing and new markets and increase our profile as one of the most attractive global locations for mobile investment.
My Department, its development agencies and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade work closely in designing a yearly schedule of trade missions to meet the ambitious market access aspirations of existing and new exporters. The planned schedule is considered by the Export Trade Council so that the missions are aligned with the priority market objectives set out in the Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy. The Export Trade Council, under the chairmanship of An Tánaiste, monitors performance against the targets set out in that strategy.
Trade Missions and other overseas trade events undertaken
by Minister Richard Bruton since March 2011:
| Date | Event /Location |
| 2011 | |
| March | St Patrick's Days Events Germany |
| April | Software Dinner, London |
| April | Trade Mission to India, |
| April | Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia |
| June | Investment Mission to U.S. West Coast |
| September | Trade Mission to S.E. States of the U.S. |
| October | Investment Mission to U.S. East Coast |
| October | London, British Irish Chamber of Commerce Dinner |
| 2012 | |
| February | Investment Mission to New York |
| March | St Patrick's Day Events U.S. West Coast |
| March | Trade and Investment Mission to China led by An Taoiseach |
| April | Investment Mission to New York and U.S. Mid West |
| July | Trade Mission to France |
| Forthcoming | |
| SE Asia – Software & Services | |
| Japan – Life Sciences & Food Innovation | |
| Canada – Technology | |
| UK Financial Software & Services Event |
Trade Missions and other overseas trade events undertaken
by Ministers of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation since March 2011:
| Date | Event /Location |
| 2011 | |
| September | Minister Perry led Trade Mission to Australia. |
| 2012 | |
| March | Minister Sherlock led Trade Mission to SWSX Media Technology Fair – U.S. |
| April | Minister Perry led Market Evaluation Mission to Sweden and Finland. |
Trade Missions in 2012 led by Ministers from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
| Date | Location / Event | Minister |
| March | Turkey, Engineering, Financial Services Sectors | Minister Costello. |
| June | UK, Water and Utilities Embassy Event | Tánaiste |
| June | Russia, Technology Sector | Minister Costello |
| Forthcoming | ||
| Brazil, Trade & Technology | ||
| Rome, Trade Networking event, | ||
| South Africa, Software & Services |
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