Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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179. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which new markets for Irish exports overseas are being sourced on an ongoing basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61068/21]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The success of Irish products both at home and in export markets is crucial to the long-term growth of Irish businesses and the Irish economy. Enterprise Ireland, the agency of my Department which is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.

To strengthen Enterprise Ireland’s services to clients in international markets, the agency opened new offices including in Manchester in the UK, in addition to the existing London office, to support companies to capitalise on growth opportunities in the North of England.

New offices have also been opened in Munich in Germany and Lyon in France, with Enterprise Ireland’s team there and elsewhere in the EU and Eurozone actively connecting with buyers in the marketplace and linking them to Irish companies in sectors of opportunity such as Construction, Engineering, Life Sciences/Medtech and Food. By 2020 client exports to the Eurozone had grown to €5.85 billion, up from €4.1 billion in 2015, making this region the second largest market by value for Enterprise Ireland clients.

Each year, Enterprise Ireland offers a programme of trade missions, trade fairs and knowledge events which give their client companies based in Ireland the opportunity to connect with existing and new customers, access key decision makers, increase sales in international markets and exchange ideas. In recent years, the majority of Ministerial-led trade missions have taken place to the Eurozone, North America and Asia Pacific, which represented the strongest growth opportunities for Irish companies. These trade missions focused on promoting the innovative capabilities and competitive offerings of Irish companies to international buyers in sectors including internationally traded services, fintech, high-tech construction, engineering, ICT and life sciences.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ministerial-led trade missions and events took place virtually throughout Quarters 1 to 3 of 2021. Physical Ministerial-led trade missions recommenced in September 2021 with missions taking place to the UK, France and Germany and to the UAE and Qatar in October 2021 and to Canada and the USA and to Saudi Arabia and Dubai in November 2021. A trade mission to Finland and Liverpool took place in early December.

As well as the global efforts supported by our agencies, key to our success in growing exports has been our commitment to trade liberalisation in order to open new markets for our indigenous sectors. With a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets will be essential to our continued economic growth and, in this regard, Ireland will continue to support the EU’s ambitious programme of negotiating new Free Trade Agreements, opening new markets for Irish companies and increasing export and investment opportunities.