Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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29. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his proposals to enhance economic co-operation on a North-South basis to boost trade in the Border area; if further economic co-operation will be discussed at the next North-South Ministerial Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1483/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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North South economic co-operation continues to be a priority of mine and of the Government. To this effect, there is on-going dialogue between relevant Ministers and officials, North and South, to promote economic development, job creation and innovation on a cross-border basis.

From my own perspective, I attend meetings, of the North South Ministerial Council Plenary, which are hosted by either the Taoiseach or the First and Deputy First Ministers, most recently in November last. In addition, I co-chair meetings of the North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral, with my counterpart, the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Ms. Arlene Foster MLA. The most recent such meeting was held just yesterday, in Armagh, when we discussed a range of issues of mutual interest on enterprise and business development in both our jurisdictions. These included a review of various cross-border initiatives being undertaken by InterTradeIreland , the North/South Trade and Business Development Body, and senior executives of that body participated in the discussions.

My officials also engage in on-going dialogue with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (D’ETI). A key area of such regular engagement is on the oversight of InterTradeIreland, which is co-funded by my Department and our counterpart Northern Ireland Department. InterTradeIreland’s suite of programmes is designed to encourage trade and business growth across the island and create an environment where it is easier to do cross-border business. These programmes include:

Elevate – which focuses on helping micro enterprises to take the first steps in exporting and explore opportunities in a new cross-border market;

Challenge - which helps SMES realise their ambitions to become more innovative;

Innova - a cross-border collaborative Research & Development programme offering companies an opportunity to accelerate new product, process or service developments through partnering with a company in the other jurisdiction; and

Fusion - a unique technology transfer programme which provides companies with new product or process development needs access to a three-way partnership that includes a third-level research institution with specialist expertise.

In addition, my Department co-funds a total of 28 projects under the Enterprise Development theme of the Interreg IVA Programme (2009-2015), together with both the administration in Northern Ireland and the EU. These projects include addressing barriers to trade faced by micro-enterprises in border counties, assisting with market entry support, developing cross border linkages, business support mentoring, capacity building for SMEs, schemes for assisting specific enterprise sectors, the provision of two Enterprise Centres and the provision a major Science Park.

Also, there is close engagement and cooperation between the relevant Enterprise Development bodies which come under the remit of my Department, i.e. Enterprise Ireland and the County Enterprise Boards with their counterparts in Northern Ireland on a range of mutually beneficial issues.

We will continue to work diligently with our counterparts in Northern Ireland to increase the economic benefits - especially on trade development, research and innovation and job creation - which can accrue from practical cross-border co-operation.