Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that adequate alternative provision is being made for Irish exports abroad to compensate for any losses arising from Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26973/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Developing increased trade opportunities continues to be an integral part of my Department’s response to the challenges posed by Brexit.

The key challenge here is to continue to maximise the volume and value of Irish agri-food exports to all destinations, and to anticipate and, as best we can, mitigate the potential impact of adverse developments in trading patterns. This requires a two-handed approach, comprised of support for our existing and potential future UK trade, as well as further development and diversification in EU and third country markets.

Encouragingly, despite an extremely challenging year, exports totalled €14.3 billion in 2020, with approximately one third of exports going to each of the UK, other EU markets and other international markets.

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement reached by the EU and the UK provides for zero tariffs and quotas, and is a welcome development given the highly integrated Ireland-UK supply chains and the value of trade in both directions. It will assist Irish exporters to maintain their UK market share, and to remain competitive against third country imports to the UK.

The Department has also been active in the development of third country markets through Trade Missions, which were carried out virtually in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also continuing to work on the opportunities provided by recent EU Free Trade Agreements with third countries, and to press for the removal of technical market access barriers across a range of third country markets.