Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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521. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to introduce specific measures to enable companies to diversify into new markets and maintain their UK market share; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40562/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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To drive the export led growth strategy, the Government through Enterprise Ireland is focused on a two key priorities to:

- intensify its work with clients to maintain and grow UK exports and extend their reach into international markets,

- reinforce the competitiveness of clients with ambition by strengthening their productivity, innovation and management capability to become more competitive in international markets.

To drive this strategy, 39 posts will be created in a number of Enterprise Ireland’s overseas offices and in the Irish based team. On foot of 2015 export figures, there is immediate opportunity and potential for strengthening our foothold in existing established markets and for diversified export growth. In 2015, sales to North American grew by 27%, Northern Europe by 8% and Asia-PAC by 11%. The focus on the Americas and Asian markets as is set out in the ‘Programme for a Partnership Government’ and where Enterprise Ireland and its client companies see strategic opportunities.

Extra staff will be placed in EI’s overseas offices with sectoral knowledge and expertise such as in engineering, food, life sciences and construction. This will drive export growth to other international markets where there are known opportunities and reduce reliance on the UK.

Nevertheless, the UK will continue to be a priority market due to Ireland’s size, geographic proximity and cultural ties. In the UK market, EI is particularly working with companies who are most exposed in areas such as engineering, food, construction and timber. EI will focus on increasing international sales with existing buyers while also supporting companies to develop new strategic relationships and avail of emerging opportunities, particularly in the engineering and construction sectors.

EI’s Irish based team will be enhanced with additional staff to provide various targeted supports and programmes to assist companies before they enter the market. Clients who are more prepared before entering the market and engage with in-market Enterprise Ireland teams, have a greater chance of sustained export success. Training and supports in terms of management capability, leadership, marketing/sales skills, innovation and R&D will help companies to build market share and create new market opportunities. EI will also deliver a suite of supports that help clients reduce supply-chain costs and drive efficiencies and cost reductions as a means of improving operating margins, thereby increasing competitiveness,.

Other key elements of the 2017 drive for expanding our global export footprint include an enhanced programme of trade and investment missions and other trade promotional events. These are all at the planning stage at the moment, but will cover various sector specific markets in the USA, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Spain, China, Australia, France, Germany, Nordics, to name but a few. There are also numerous Market Study Visits planned for 2017. These visits will enable client companies to experience the dynamics of a market, and provide more information to help with the decision on whether to progress to that market.

In 2017, EI will also rollout the ‘Global Ambition Campaign’ which is a communications campaign to promote Irish companies and their products and services to international buyers.