Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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509. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he, directly and through the aegis of the European Union and the United Nations, continues to monitor the development of the aid-for-trade policy pursued by some countries in respect of the various deserving countries throughout Africa. [45689/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s development co-operation programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy, recognises that international trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic development and the alleviation of poverty. The World Trade Organisation-led Aid for Trade initiative encourages developing country Governments and donors to recognise the role that trade can play in development. In particular, the initiative seeks to mobilise resources to address the trade-related constraints identified by developing and least-developed countries.

My Department actively monitors the development of aid for trade policy. Ireland was represented at the 5^thGlobal Review of Aid for Trade which was held from 30^thJune to 2^ndJuly this year in Geneva. The review found that the Aid for Trade initiative was delivering and had the continued commitment of the trade and development community. The areas identified for greater focus at the Review were reducing trade costs, especially for the poor; Least Developed Countries; gender; and adapting to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The new EU trade strategy Trade for Allpublished in October includes a commitment to review, with EU Member States, the EU’s Aid for Trade strategy to enhance the capacity of developing countries to make use of the opportunities offered by trade agreements, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ireland will actively participate in this review of the EU Aid for Trade strategy.

I am pleased that since 2000, Ireland has provided support to the major, mainly Geneva based, international organisations involved in Aid for Trade work. This includes two technical assistance programmes of the WTO; the International Trade Centre; the Advisory Centre for WTO Law; and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Port Training Programme. Our funding to these organisations amounted to €1.65m in 2015.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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510. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the various Irish embassies and consulates abroad continue to promote and encourage new markets for Irish products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45690/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The advancement of Ireland’s trade, tourism, investment and education promotion objectives is of central importance to our foreign policy and of the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Embassy network. Irish Embassies and Consulates-General provide a global platform for the promotion of Ireland as a business, investment, tourism and education destination.

While the majority of Irish services and merchandise exports go to Europe and the US and we must of course continue to cultivate these markets, the Government is strongly focused on the further development of trading partnerships with other important emerging markets.

The Embassy network plays a crucial role in proactively addressing market access issues, supporting Irish businesses seeking to grow overseas, holding promotional events for, and in association with, State agencies and actively contributing to the organisation and conduct of Enterprise Ireland-led trade missions and events overseas.

Our Embassy network plays an important role in the implementation of the Government Trade Tourism and Investment Strategy. In the Review of the Strategy published in February 2014, seven additional high potential and exploratory markets were identified as part of a ‘new market approach’ aimed at increasing our engagement with high growth markets in Asia, Latin America and Africa. The markets in question are as follows: Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria, Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand and Chile.

Ireland now has a presence in all but one of the above markets. Guided by the Review, new Embassies have recently been opened in Bangkok (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Nairobi (Kenya) and Zagreb (Croatia). Consulates-General have also been opened in Hong Kong (China), Austin (Texas) and in Sao Paulo (Brazil). These new Embassies and Consulates-General will strengthen Ireland’s capacity to take advantage of emerging opportunities in these important markets as well as complementing the existing trade promotion work of our Embassy network.

In November 2015, my Department hosted the fourth Global Irish Economic Forum in Dublin. Many of the participants are members of the Global Irish Network. This Network works closely with the Government and State agencies in promoting Ireland’s economic, cultural and tourism messages in key markets.

In terms of the level of Irish trade with overseas markets, the Central Statistics Office maintains a website, on which the most recent trade statistics are made available to the public.