Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

52. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she and her Department are engaged in the encouragement of business and enterprise with all EU states having particular regard to the impact of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43331/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since the Brexit vote outcome, my Department has had extensive engagement with business to understand what they need to help them adapt to the challenges posed by Brexit, and to provide support for diversification, development and innovation. 

 Brexit presents the most significant economic challenge of the past 50 years and long-term, structural and disruptive change will emerge.  The need to accelerate and implement competitiveness, innovation and market diversification strategies at a national and company level cannot be underestimated. This is at the crux of Enterprise Ireland’s 2017-2020 Build Scale and Expand Reach strategy and its new Eurozone Strategy.

 The Enterprise Ireland Eurozone Strategy was launched in May 2017 as part of their overarching strategy to ‘Build Scale, Expand Reach’ by 2020.

- The strategy aims to help Irish exporters increase exports into the Eurozone by €2bn (50%) by 2020.

- The Eurozone is a very attractive market for Irish exporters because of currency stability, free trade agreements and growth potential.

- Priority sectors and export growth will be targeted in areas like construction, engineering and the life sciences/medtech sectors.

Enterprise Ireland will seek to inspire more companies to have Eurozone and global ambition and will implement extensive trade mission and event schedules focussed on global and sectoral opportunities, further develop in-market expertise and networks, place greater focus on identifying new sectoral opportunities and stimulate demand for Irish products and services through international marketing campaigns.  In 2017, Enterprise Ireland will run 145 promotional trade events, of which 44 were minister-led.  An additional 39 posts have been sanctioned for the agency, including in some EU markets, in order to increase its ability to support clients in finding new markets.

Assisted by Enterprise Ireland’s strategic communications campaigns such as “Global Ambition” and “PrepareforBrexit”, the agency has:

- Launched a ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’, a new interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars.  Based on answers supplied by the user, the Scorecard generates an immediate report which contains suggested actions and resources, and information on events for companies to attend, to prepare for Brexit. To date approximately 1,500 companies have utilised the Brexit SME Scorecard.

- Rolled out a national Prepare for Brexit Breakfast roadshow across the country.

- Incorporated a Brexit zone into International Markets Week. This zone provided Enterprise Ireland client companies with access to independent experts in areas such as currency management, transport and logistics and procurement. Enterprise Ireland staff were also available to discuss sales and marketing capability and client management development programmes with a focus on Brexit

- Launched a Be Prepared Grant which provides client companies with the cost of preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. This grant support, of up to €5,000, can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan.

All of the above actions are aimed at assisting companies to grow new markets so as to reduce our dependence on the UK.  To that end, Enterprise Ireland is proactively engaging with client companies on Brexit issues and is working with clients on their business development plans based on a company diagnostic led approach.