Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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105. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the growing concern over external risks to exports, especially through possible US tariffs or EU trade deal disputes, the specific supports he will provide to exporters based in Cork and the Munster region to hedge against trade shocks, including advice, financial aid, or market diversification programmes. [48864/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The global economic environment is changing. National and supranational policies on international trade are increasingly being shaped by protectionism and national security and geo-strategic concerns, including in some of Ireland’s largest trade partners.

To effectively navigate this more challenging international trading environment, the Government is committed to having the correct domestic structures in place to facilitate dialogue with the key affected stakeholders.

To this end, I established the Government Trade Forum in February to facilitate direct engagement with key stakeholders and decision-makers on the latest and emerging trade and investment developments. Membership of the Forum includes Ministers and senior officials from government departments, State agencies, senior business, industry and sectoral representatives, including from relevant business representative groups, trade union and other representative groups.

I have chaired eight meetings of the Government Trade Forum, the latest on the 10th September. The Forum meetings have considered recent trading developments. There has also been consideration of key sectors of the Irish economy, including pharmaceuticals, med-tech, aviation, semi-conductors and agri-food, where the Forum has heard directly from business leaders.

This approach will continue into the autumn. The Forum recently agreed a new Work Plan, developed in consultation with the members, which envisages a consistent focus on key sectors and industries, an enhanced focus on key markets aligned with the work of our local and regional market teams, and consideration of thematic areas where they intersect with trade.

In addition to the engagement with the Forum, I have engaged extensively with businesses and representative organisations since becoming Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade earlier this year. This engagement is valuable and will continue and intensify as we navigate this new trading environment.

The Government’s response also includes the more than one hundred actions set out in the Government Action Plan on Market Diversification, published in August.

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and its agencies have remit for a range of supports to exporters. I would recommend that the Deputy enquire of my colleague Minister Burke and officials of his department for further particulars in this regard.