Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals, if any, he or a Minister of State in his Department have to participate in trade missions up to the end of 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51605/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The programme of Enterprise Ireland trade missions for 2012 was agreed by Minister Bruton and me in January. To date, sixteen trade missions have been completed and another two are scheduled to take place before the end of the year. Minister of State Costello and I are not planning to lead any further trade missions this year.

Since becoming Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have always sought to promote Ireland’s economic interests wherever possible, whether at targeted events organised by Enterprise Ireland or in the course of broader working visits.

My colleague, the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello TD, has also been active in promoting Ireland’s trade interests overseas. In addition to the Enterprise Ireland Trade Missions he led to Turkey and Russia in March and June of this year respectively, in October he led EI’s Trade Missions to Brazil and participated in Enterprise Ireland trade events and business meetings in Rome. This month he led EI’s trade mission to South Africa and he will tomorrow conclude a 5 day trade related visit to Ghana and Nigeria.