Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the destinations that are earmarked for trade missions to help expand existing and develop new markets for Ireland’s agri-food sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6871/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department continues to support the ambition of the Irish agri-food sector to grow both the value and volume of our exports to international markets. The promotion of Ireland's high-quality, safe, nutritious, and sustainably produced food remains a core objective of my Department and its agencies.

Indeed, this Government's commitment to new market development, enhanced market diversification and continued consolidation of our traditional markets has been demonstrated by the appointment of Martin Heydon T.D. as Minister of State with specific responsibility for these objectives.

To that end, Minister Heydon and I are commencing critical engagements in overseas markets next week with a Trade Mission to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This Mission will include Government to Government discussions and engagements with key Irish customers. It will also encompass Gulfood, one of the world's largest food fairs, and EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

This visit forms part of an intensified programme of trade missions that will be undertaken this year. In late April, Minister Heydon and I are planning to lead a Trade Mission to the United States and Mexico. Further missions in the second half of 2022 will be focused on South East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

The selection of these particular destinations is informed by the comprehensive market prioritisation analysis that has been undertaken by Bord Bia in recent years, and will complement the continuing programme of virtual engagements with overseas governments and clients - a model that has been developed very effectively since the advent of the pandemic.