Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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35. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the recent joint trade mission carried out in Singapore by his Department and Enterprise Ireland and counterparts from the United Kingdom; and if similar missions will take place elsewhere this year or in the coming years. [12014/14]

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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40. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a full account of the first joint trade mission by Ireland and Britain to the Singapore Air Show; his plans for further joint trade missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7990/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 40 together.

As part of a wider trade and investment mission to Singapore and Malaysia, I recently led the first-ever joint trade mission of Irish, Northern Ireland and British companies, together with fellow Ministers Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Stephen Hammond, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport. Eleven Irish companies, together with Northern Ireland and British counterparts participated at the Singapore Air Show - Asia's largest aviation fair and exhibition - featuring 250 exhibitors from 70 countries around the world. The ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) region alone, is expected to account for one-third of global air traffic by 2032. A joint trade stand allowed the Irish and British participants to demonstrate their individual and joint capabilities.

The joint trade mission arises from a commitment by the Taoiseach and Prime Minister David Cameron at their annual Summit last March. Closer economic and trading ties between Ireland and Britain, including strengthening British and Irish firms' abilities to win new business in third countries, forms part of a wider agenda aimed at strengthening British-Irish relations over the next ten years, as agreed at a Leaders' Summit in March 2012. The Irish companies participating in the joint mission supply goods and services in a variety of sub-sectors in the aviation industry such as training, recruitment, plastic components, precision tooling, crew management, transport logistics and airport management.

As well as participating directly in the air show, the companies attended a round- table discussion where aviation experts in the region gave an overview of developments and opportunities, and a site visit to a large aircraft overhaul and maintenance operator.

The ASEAN region with a population of 600 million people, is a key growth area with enormous potential for Irish companies to grow exports and jobs across a variety of sectors, including aviation. A number of Irish companies have already established a foothold and through this trade mission and with the existing Irish presence there it is expected that Ireland can significantly grow Irish exports to the region.

I also used the opportunity to undertake a number of other engagements in Singapore and Malaysia including meetings with Ministers and Government officials, meetings with Irish diaspora organisations, individual Irish companies and business people in the region and a number of media engagements. A particular focus in Malaysia was on opportunities in the education sector. I met with the Malaysian Minister for Education and visited two third-level institutions to promote Ireland as a location for education and learning.

In the course of the wider trade mission, contracts to the value of €25million were signed by Irish companies. The question of future such trade missions, or other means of enhancing British-Irish trade relations will be kept under review by both parties.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans for future joint trade missions with Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12165/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Following on from the recent first-ever joint trade mission to Singapore which I led along with my UK and NI Ministerial colleagues, Enterprise Ireland and its UK and NI equivalent development agencies are engaged in an evaluation of the mission and the benefits to its client companies. This will assist in informing how we might take future efforts forward.