Written answers

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Trade Relations

Photo of Neale RichmondNeale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline Ireland’s major trade destinations from 2015 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30418/22]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Central Statistics Office compiles statistical data in relation to Goods Exports and Imports. These statistics can be found on the website www.cso.ie.

Ireland has experienced remarkable trade growth in recent years with exports growing from $233 billion in 2015 to €451 billion in 2021.

In 2021, Ireland’s global trade reached its highest ever value of €842 billion, comprising €451 billion in total Exports (Goods and Services) and €391 billion in total Imports (Goods and Services).

The EU as a bloc was the destination for €61 billion or 37% of Ireland’s total Goods Exports in 2021. At an individual country level Goods Exports to the United States were €52 billion, United Kingdom (€18 billion), Germany (€18 billion), Belgium (€14 billion) and China, incl. Hong Kong and Macao (€12 billion). Services data for 2021 is not yet disaggregated at individual country level.

In 2020, the main destinations for Irish Goods Exports were the United States (€51 billion), Belgium (€18 billion), Germany (€18 billion), United Kingdom (€15 billion) and China (€11 billion). The main destinations for Irish Services Exports were the United Kingdom (€35 billion), United States (€33 billion), Germany (€17 billion), Netherlands (€11 billion) and Japan (€10 billion). The United States and United Kingdom each accounted for 14% of Services Exports from Ireland, but the EU as a bloc was the destination for 31% of our Services Exports.

In 2019, the value of exports from Ireland was €383 billion, comprising €153 billion in Goods Exports and €230 billion in Services Exports. The main destinations for Irish Goods Exports were the United States (€47 billion), United Kingdom (€16 billion), Belgium (€16 billion), Germany (€14 billion) and China (€9 billion). The main destinations for Ireland’s Services Exports were the United States (€36 billion), United Kingdom (€35 billion), Germany (€17 billion), France (€9 billion) and Japan (€8 billion).

In 2018, the value of exports from Ireland was €330 billion, comprising €141 billion in Goods Exports and €189 billion in Services Exports. The main destinations for Ireland’s Goods Exports were the United States (€39 billion), Belgium (€18 billion), United Kingdom (€16 billion), Germany (€10 billion) and the Netherlands (€8 billion). The main destinations for Ireland’s Services Exports were the United Kingdom (€31 billion), the United States (€23 billion), Germany (€14 billion), France (€8 billion) and Italy (€7 billion).

In 2017, the value of exports from Ireland was €285 billion comprising €123 billion in Goods Exports and €162 billion in Services Exports. The main destinations for Ireland’s Goods Exports were the United States (€33 billion), United Kingdom (€16 billion), Belgium (€13 billion), Germany (€9 billion) and Switzerland (€6 billion). The main destinations for Ireland’s Services Exports were the United Kingdom (€26 billion), the United States (€18 billion), Germany (€11 billion), France (€7 billion) and Italy (€6 billion).

In 2016, the value of exports from Ireland was €254 billion, comprising €119 billion in Goods Exports and €135 billion in Services Exports. The main destinations for Ireland’s Goods Exports were the United States (€32 billion), United Kingdom (€15 billion), Belgium (€15 billion), Germany (€8 billion) and Switzerland (€6 billion). The main destinations for Ireland’s Services Exports were the United Kingdom (€24 billion), the United States (€15 billion), Germany (€11 billion), France (€6 billion) and Italy (€6 billion).

In 2015, the value of exports from Ireland was €233 billion, comprising €112 billion in Goods Exports and €120 billion in Services Exports. The main destinations for Ireland’s Goods Exports were the United States (€27 billion), United Kingdom (€16 billion), Belgium (€15 billion), Germany (€7 billion) and Switzerland (€6 billion). The main destinations for Ireland’s Services Exports were the United Kingdom (€22 billion), the United States (€14 billion), Germany (€10 billion), Italy (€6 billion) and France (€6 billion).

Photo of Neale RichmondNeale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline the impact that the Northern Ireland Protocol has had on Ireland’s trade destinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30419/22]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly referred to as the Northern Ireland Protocol, is the part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement that ensures that a hard border is avoided on the island of Ireland after the UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020. Protecting the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the hard-won gains of the peace process is our primary concern, which the Protocol does in all its dimensions. It was designed and mutually agreed by the UK and EU to safeguard the GFA, including avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, protecting North-South cooperation and the all-island economy, and ensuring ‘no diminution of rights, safeguards, or equality of opportunity’ as set out in the GFA.

The Central Statistics Office compiles statistical data in relation to Goods Exports and Imports. These statistics can be found on the website www.cso.ie

According to the CSO, in 2020, our total Goods Exports were valued at €162bn. Goods Exports to the UK were valued at €14.7bn (of which €12.3bn was exported to Great Britain and €2.4bn to Northern Ireland). Our total Services Exports in 2020 were valued at €244bn while Services Exports to the UK were valued at €35bn.

In 2020, our total Goods Imports were valued at €87bn. Goods Imports from the UK were valued at €20.1bn (of which €17.7bn was imported from Great Britain and €2.4bn from Northern Ireland). Our total Services Imports in 2020 were valued at €306bn while Services Imports from the UK were valued at €20bn.

In 2021, our total Goods Exports were valued at €165bn. Goods Exports to the UK were valued at €18.1bn (of which €14.4bn was exported to Great Britain and €3.7bn to Northern Ireland). Services data for 2021 is not yet disaggregated at individual country level.

In 2021, our total Goods Imports were valued at €103bn. Goods Imports from the UK in 2021 were valued at €19.3bn (of which €15.3bn was imported from Great Britain and €4bn from Northern Ireland).

We continue to closely monitor the impact Brexit and COVID-19 are having on imports and exports to Great Britain and the wider EU. The further introduction of checks and controls for trade to Great Britain can be expected to have an impact in due course on our exports.

We will continue to help companies diversify and discover new markets and reap the benefits of free trade agreements and work with them to adapt to new realities, both in relation to Brexit and to COVID-19.

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