Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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25. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she continues to endeavour to attract foreign direct investment and indigenous investment to the manufacturing and service sectors, with particular reference to the need to ensure that in the wake of Brexit the degree of investment continues to remain sufficient to meet any eventualities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14432/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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At the strategic level, Enterprise 2025 sets out the roadmap for enterprise development, and details the actions required and being taken to support the manufacturing and service sectors.  Our new trade and investment strategy, Ireland Connected, will be backed up by increasing our agency resources both at home and overseas and an intensified programme of trade missions.

Responding to Brexit has also been prioritised in the Action Plan for Jobs 2017 which sets out 20 specific actions aimed at growing and diversifying markets for Irish exports and maximise opportunities in foreign direct investment and research and innovation.

In addition to protecting the Northern Ireland Peace Process, maintaining the Common Travel Area, and influencing the future of the European Union, we have made it a priority to minimise the impact of Brexit on Ireland's trade and on our economy. Supporting the development and growth of indigenous companies and maximising Foreign Direct investment are key activities of my Department and Agencies.

Almost 50 additional staff are being deployed by my Agencies to support firms to enter new markets and to attract new investment.

Enterprise Ireland is working with firms to support product and service innovation, the adoption of lean systems, smarter sourcing strategies and, crucially, the identification of new overseas markets. Enterprise Ireland will shortly launch its new Eurozone strategy, with the aim of increasing indigenous exports to the Eurozone by 50% over the period to 2020. In addition, we are engaging with companies to help them adapt to currency fluctuations and to support product and market diversification. The Local Enterprise Offices are working with non-EI client companies providing support and advice services as well as bespoke services to foster new business opportunities in local areas.

IDA continues to identify potential for mobile FDI in key sectors and actively pursue these opportunities including through targeted trade missions and rollout of advertising campaigns to promote Ireland’s offering.

My Department is currently undertaking research to examine the implications at firm-level for the most exposed enterprise sectors of the UK being outside of the European Single Market and Customs Union. This research will inform an assessment of the way in which Brexit will affect individual sectors of the economy and our targeted response.

Further, my Department is also funding a project through InterTrade Ireland on the North-South trade implications of Brexit. This project will provide an understanding of the impact of different trade and tariff regimes which might be imposed following Brexit.