Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reductions in investment in InterTradeIreland over the past five years. [37215/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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InterTrade Irelandis one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the ‘Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The body operates from a single base in Newry, Co. Down and is jointly funded in a 2:1 ratio by my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland, respectively.

Intertrade Ireland operates an innovative range of schemes and programmes for SMEs on both sides of the Border to help companies develop their capacity. Over the years since its establishment, it has achieved significant positive results especially in terms of jobs impact and the development of first time exporters and first time innovators. Its services are significantly oversubscribed and many applicant companies have been unable to participate in specific programmes, due to resource constraints.

However these figures need to be qualified by the fact that InterTrade Ireland’soperating currency is the Pound Sterling and the fluctuating exchange rate and other related factors has necessitated some complex adjustments which are reflected in that data.

The position is thatInterTrade Ireland’seffective underlying delivery budget has been subject to efficiency savings imposed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and its counterpart Finance Department in Northern Ireland.For the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 cumulative savings of 4% annually have been set and these followed savings of 3% for the three years prior to that (2011-2013). Also, the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment imposed a unilateral cut to the budget of InterTrade Irelandfor 2015 of an additional 11%. In respect of this year we have temporarily resolved the issue by using InterTrade Ireland’sreserves, to make up the shortfall. Since 2012 my Department has contributed between €7m and €8m annually to Intertrade Ireland. The position for 2016 is uncertain but given the expressed views of the Northern Ireland authorities recently, the outlook for maintaining the body’s activities at current levels seems challenging.

My Department is committed to providing every assistance to support the work which InterTrade Irelandis doing. Their programmes in support of SMEs and the development of Cross Border Business has brought strong results over recent years and has assisted in retaining and also creating jobs in both jurisdictions, in addition to building on the Peace Process.