Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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197. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he has taken over the past four and a half years to reverse the low level of exports by the indigenous small and medium enterprise sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41818/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Our recovery since 2011 is founded on a deliberate policy of driving export growth across the economy and supporting successful Irish based enterprises in international markets and the measures we have taken have resulted in strong year on year growth in our export performance. Export performance is driven by many factors, including the prevailing economic conditions of our key trading partners, and recent years have seen a globally challenging environment for our indigenous exporters. Nevertheless, the latest available data shows exports of Irish goods and services to the value of €215 billion in 2014, up from €184 billion in 2013. Our strong growth in goods and services exports are being driven by sectors which we have specifically targeted as part of the Action Plan for Jobs, including the pharma and manufacturing areas. Indigenous firms are becoming more export focused with the share of sales that arise from exports on an upward trend, reaching 51% in 2014.

In 2011, EI client exports achieved €15.2bn. This exceeded the pre-recession record levels of 2008. In 2012, EI client exports achieved €16.2bn with North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America in particular recording strong double digit growth. This performance was against a backdrop of continued international uncertainty and low global growth rates. In 2013, EI client exports achieved €17.1bn with Northern Europe, North and Latin America showing strong growth. This record growth was against increasing global competition and illustrates the quality and innovativeness of Irish products and services.

In 2014, EI supported Irish exporters again achieved record exports of €18.6bn – an increase of almost 10% on 2013 figures – and the highest point in the history of the State. Growth was recorded in exports to all international regions and across all sectors.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) has a number of supports and initiatives in place to assist exporting companies. These include the Growth Fund, Potential Exporters, First Sale Programme, the International Selling Programme and sector specific Trade Missions.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) through its programmes and overseas office network will target support for clients to achieve €22 billion in exports by 2016.

The LEOs also provide support to companies that are undertaking market research, feasibility studies or who are participating in trade fairs. Other LEO initiatives to drive export activity include the Food Academy Programme, for up-and-coming food producers (in association with Bord Bia and SuperValu) and Online Trading vouchers (in partnership with the Dept. of Communications, Energy and National Resources) to support startup and smaller businesses operating in the domestic economy to access a wider market through online trading. Taken together, the National Broadband Plan and the National Digital Strategy will assist and incentivise greater use of online trading to drive exports.

Ireland’s Small Business Act (SBA) Factsheet for 2015 was published this month by the European Commission. This report shows that Ireland has one of the most SME friendly environments in the EU. Of the 10 principles contained in this policy initiative, Ireland performs above the EU average in 6 and is top of the class in two, “second chance” and “internationalisation”. Ireland’s improvement in internationalisation has been at a much faster rate than in the EU on average.

The Review of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, 2010 – 2015, published in February 2014, developed a focus on key sectors of competitive advantage for Ireland in line with the Action Plan for Jobs. This Review provides a refocused action plan under three key themes – reputation, facilitating & enabling and winning business & jobs. In 2016, we will develop a successor to the Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy.

Furthermore, the Winning Abroad initiative under the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 has facilitated greater coordination of Embassies and State agencies abroad, ensuring that we maximise the impact of State resources in priority markets, giving them and Irish companies the best possible platform to win business overseas.