Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which new trading links continue to be established globally; the extent to which it is expected that Ireland can benefit from such developments in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9004/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Advancing Ireland’s trade, tourism, education and investment objectives through economic diplomacy and related activities is a key goal of Ireland’s foreign policy, informing and directing the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our mission network. Efforts have intensified in recent years to equip the mission network in particular to take advantage of new market opportunities for Irish business. Trade promotion was a key part of the rationale for our expansion of the mission network three years ago to include Embassies in Bangkok, Jakarta, and Nairobi and new Consulates General in Hong Kong, Austin (Texas), and Sao Paulo.

This expansion has recently been bolstered by the appointment of Commercial Attachés in Brasilia, Mexico, Buenos Aires, Jakarta and Bucharest, and Economic Development Officers in Abuja and Nairobi. These locally hired staff will focus on improving market access, identifying market opportunities, raising Ireland’s visibility and facilitating Irish businesses overseas in locations where State agency presence is limited.

My Department has also recently implemented more flexible funding arrangements with a new system of Promotion and Outreach Budgets for the mission network. This was rolled out in January. The new system of Three Tiered Funding is designed to enhance the capacity of missions and regional groups to act more autonomously and catalytically in support of our High Level Goals, including of course Prosperity.

It is increasingly important that our work both at home and abroad is strategically focused and closely coordinated as a whole-of-government exercise. My Department, together with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is currently finalising Ireland’s new trade, tourism and investment strategy. This strategy, which will be published next month, has been the subject of wide consultation with stakeholders and is designed to (i) provide strategic direction; (ii) set out an overarching framework, drawing together a range of economic and sectorial strategies; (iii) set out approaches to geographic markets; and (iv) act as a platform for enhanced global visibility.

In addition, the Programme for Partnership Government mandated whole-of-Government, cross-sectoral strategies for the Asia Pacific and Americas regions. Work on the formulation of these strategies is well underway and will be complemented by our increased Embassy presence in these regions.

All of these efforts will continue to be guided by the work of the Trade Division within my Department working closely with colleagues across Government, and by the Export Trade Council, which I chair.