Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of his recent official visit to South Africa; if any of his meetings with South African business groups were successful in creating trade and investment for Ireland. [15528/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I travelled to South Africa from the 14th to 17th March this year. The visit was part of a programme to three African countries - Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique.

In Tanzania, I visited Irish Aid funded projects and held discussions with the Tanzanian Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. In Mozambique I chaired, on behalf of the EU, the Ministerial political dialogue between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which took place in Maputo on 20 March. I also visited Irish Aid projects in rural Mozambique.

While in South Africa, I took the opportunity to follow up on the very successful trade mission which I led last November, involving 37 Irish companies. During my latest visit, I met with the Board of Business Ireland Southern Africa (BISA) in Johannesburg and was guest speaker at our St. Patrick’s Day reception in Johannesburg. I also met with the local representatives of Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and ESB International for an update on new business development, including a number of case studies which we discussed in depth. I had the opportunity to launch a joint venture between an Irish company and their South African partner and to visit three other Irish companies which are expanding their business in the region. My visit to South Africa culminated with the Greening of Table Mountain, organised by Tourism Ireland, which received considerable media coverage both locally and in the international media.

I am confident that my trade visits to South Africa, including this most recent visit, are supporting ongoing efforts to further develop Ireland’s economic engagement with South Africa and the wider southern Africa region. In 2011, South Africa – Ireland trade was worth just under €1.2 billion. Enterprise Ireland reports sustained interest by Irish companies in the South African market with two new companies per week on average visiting for the first time. In particular certain food and drink exports to South Africa are growing rapidly. There was an increase of 30% in dairy exports to South Africa last year. The total value of food and drink exports to South Africa in 2012 rose to €56.84 million.

My visit was also in line with Ireland's Africa Strategy, which seeks to build on Ireland’s longstanding development relationship with Africa. It explicitly recognises the role which greater economic and trade cooperation can make to relations between Ireland and Africa, and to development in Africa.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide information on the Invest in Ireland business forum, for IDA clients and target companies, that he hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, during his recent visit to America. [15523/13]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his visit to Atlanta, New Orleans and Washington; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15420/13]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the meeting he had with the American Secretary of State John Kerry on 18 March; and if American immigration reform was discussed. [15525/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 48 and 54 together.

As part of the Government’s St. Patrick's Day "Promote Ireland" programme 2013, I visited Atlanta, New Orleans and Washington DC from 14-20 March.

In Atlanta, I undertook a range of business networking and investment promotion events. In particular, I hosted an "Invest in Ireland" business forum for IDA client and target companies, jointly organised by our Consulate General and the IDA. The event provided an excellent opportunity to reiterate to a target audience the strengths of Ireland as an investment location and to respond directly to participants' questions. In addition, I met and briefed senior management from a number of existing companies with major investments in Ireland, including Coca-Cola and UPS. I also met and briefed Atlanta-based members of the Global Irish Network and other key Irish leaders in Atlanta. On the political level, I held discussions with the Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, and invited him to lead a trade delegation to Ireland in the near future. I also met with Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia and discussed the prospects for progress in relation to immigration reform and in particular our interest in seeing a resolution to the situation of the undocumented Irish in the US.

In New Orleans, I addressed an event hosted by the Irish Network of New Orleans, one of the more recent additions to the Irish Networks in the US which are playing an important role in identifying ways in which Irish communities overseas can contribute to economic recovery at home. I also addressed the Ancient Order of Hibernians Annual St Patrick’s Day Ball and attended the opening of the new Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans.

During the Washington DC leg of my visit, I had a bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Kerry at the US State Department on 18 March. We discussed a range of subjects including Northern Ireland, the Irish economy, international issues including the Middle East peace process, and the prospects for comprehensive immigration reform in the US. In relation to the latter, I underlined the Government's appreciation for the priority which the new Administration is giving to this subject and reiterated our interest in seeing a resolution for the situation of the undocumented Irish in the US. Immigration reform was also one of the issues which both the Taoiseach and I discussed with President Obama during the bilateral meeting in the White House on 19 March. Later that day, both the Taoiseach and I met with Senators Patrick Leahy, Charles Schumer and John McCain to express our appreciation for the efforts they are making in the Senate on the issue. In addition, I met with the Friends of Ireland Congressional Group to underline our interest in seeing progress on the issue.