Written answers
Tuesday, 3 November 2020
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Trade Promotion
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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77. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department is continuing to support the development of new markets for Irish exports in the current Covid-19 and Brexit environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33550/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Gaining third country market access, and opening up trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports, have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade missions will continue to play a key role here. Our traditional "in person" method of developing trade with customers is not feasible currently. To that end, my Department, in conjunction with Bord Bia, is holding a series of Virtual Trade Missions on 9 and 10 November with customers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. These interactive engagements will include Irish industry and existing and potential customers overseas. There will also be a series of virtual meetings with key international customers from Germany, the UK, Japan, China, UAE and SE Asia.
The Government's commitment to new market development is illustrated by its appointment of Martin Heydon T.D., as Minister of State with specific responsibility for this task. My Department has also placed four additional Agriculture Attaches in the Irish Embassy network in recent years, in Berlin, Tokyo and Mexico City in 2019, and in Seoul, South Korea, in 2020. In addition, my Department's International Trade activities are being reorganised and further developed to deal with the challenges of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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