Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the increased supports being provided for InterTradeIreland to respond to the increased complexity of cross-Border trade post-Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52553/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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InterTradeIreland is playing an important role as part of the Government’s wider Brexit response. ITI’s Brexit Advisory Service, which provides a range of advice and supports to eligible businesses, has this year alone engaged with almost 1,400 SMEs, out of a total of 15,000 businesses since its establishment.

ITI’s Brexit Planning Voucher scheme is a particularly important form of assistance for Irish SMEs. These vouchers enable businesses to get professional advice on the new trading environment following the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The Planning Vouchers are worth up to €2,250 (inclusive of VAT) each. This funding supports firms to access professional advice in relation to Brexit matters. To date, there has been over 3,300 approvals for Vouchers to a total value of over €7.5m.

The Government has been increasing ITI’s budget steadily in recent years. My Department provided additional funding for the body each year from 2017 to allow it to undertake a range of initiatives aimed at assisting SMEs to respond to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

In 2022 an additional €1.225m will be allocated to ITI, bringing its total funding from Ireland to €11.586m. This will allow ITI to continue its existing programmes and expand its services.

The funding will further enhance ITI’s capacity and expand its Brexit Advisory Service into a new, technology-enabled cross-border Trade Information Service. This dedicated service aims to address the range of queries that are anticipated to arise in the cross-border trade of goods and services under the new trading environment for both the thousands of businesses that are already trading on a cross-border basis and those considering it for the first time.

It is envisaged that the proposed service will also consider supply chain issues that might be encountered by firms with supply chains, increase SMEs’ knowledge in multiple trade areas and update and digitalise ITI’s guides to cross border trade. The service will provide information and advice in many areas including customs, VAT, regulatory change, data, procurement, employment etc.