Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a trade and investment mission to Italy will happen in quarter 3 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33798/22]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Each year, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland collaborate on a programme of ministerial led trade missions and events which support the goal of securing high-level market access for companies based in Ireland who are aiming to grow business overseas and increase domestic employment.

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 lifesciences.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, trade missions took place virtually throughout 2020 and during Quarters 1 to 3 of 2021. Physical trade missions resumed in Quarter 4 of 2021.

To date in 2022, there have been trade and investment promotional visits and missions to the Marseille region and Paris; Lisbon; US West Coast region; Georgia, South Carolina, Monterrey and Mexico;  Spain; and Germany, France and the Netherlands. A trade visit to the UK is planned for mid July.

My Department is currently working closely with its agencies in relation to finalising a trade and investment mission schedule for the second half of 2022 which will maximise opportunities to help Irish companies to access new markets and to increase the levels of foreign direct investment into Ireland.