Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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172. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures she continues to take to develop and improve the competitiveness of Irish goods and services on world markets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6358/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Competitiveness is key to success in international markets, jobs growth and as a means of achieving sustainable improvements in living standards. Improving competitiveness performance is a core focus of the work of the Government, and as part of this work my Department, its agencies and the National Competitiveness Council are continually engaged with relevant stakeholders on the particular policy needs required to support competitiveness.

In its 2017 Competitiveness Challenge Report, the Council has identified a range of threats to Ireland’s competitiveness, including the potential impact of Brexit, the concentration of our export markets and the range of products and services exported.

Enterprise Ireland is actively supporting firms develop new products and services for new and existing markets. To assist competitiveness, the Enterprise Ireland strategy 2017-20 “Build Scale-Expand Reach” looks to increase the reach of its client company exports, with two-thirds of exports going beyond the UK.  Sustaining and growing jobs and diversifying the export base is a challenge when aligned with the key objective of reducing the overall dependence on the UK market as a percentage of overall exports. Therefore, my Department has allocated additional funding in both 2017 and 2018 to enable EI achieve its objectives.

To broaden the export footprint across the globe, the EI Strategy focuses on training and supports to enhance management capability, leadership and productivity, marketing/sales skills, innovation and R&D, access to funding to help companies to build market share and create new market opportunities.

Extra staff has been 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 international markets where there are known opportunities and reduce reliance on the UK.

There is now a major focus on directing resources and expertise to the Eurozone markets where EI sees opportunities, targeting a 50% increase in exports by 2020. A new ‘Irish Advantage’ communications campaign is targeting Eurozone buyers to buy Irish innovation in key Brexit impacted sectors.

There are significant opportunities in various international markets for quality Irish goods and services. The future relative importance and forecasted growth rates of China, India, Asean countries, the Gulf, Latin America and Africa combined with the scale of these markets means we will support Irish companies to continue to work to build exports in these markets. In recent weeks, EI launched its new Market DiscoveryFund to help more Irish companies accelerate their market diversification efforts.  

A more diverse export base can reduce exposure to external demand shocks, exchange rate fluctuations and instability in export earnings and enhance growth and jobs.  I will continue to work with my Department and Enterprise Ireland to ensure Irish-based exporters, particularly in exposed sectors such as traditional manufacturing and agrifood, will continue to be supported to scale and diversify sustainably and strategically.