William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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468. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment following the launch of the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification to strengthen Ireland’s global trade resilience, the measurable steps which have been taken to help Irish exporters access new markets; the number of Irish-owned exporting companies that have been supported under this initiative; the monitoring which is in place to track progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62206/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan on Market Diversification Plan was launched on Monday 25th August as the result of extensive collaboration across government and with the relevant State agencies. This collaborative approach proved essential for aligning strategies and leveraging expertise. It is a ‘whole-of-government’ reassessment of opportunities and what is needed to enable access to new markets.

The Action Plan sets out a path to support Ireland’s businesses – large and small – to adapt to the global trading environment by striking out into new and diverse markets while deepening their engagement in existing markets and expanding where possible and opportunities exist. As a global and open trading economy deeply connected into international supply chains, the Action Plan also serves to mitigate the current risks and bolster our economic resilience.

In response to the US trade tariffs, Enterprise Ireland launched two new grants to support Enterprise Ireland client companies to assess and respond to the impact of US trade tariffs. The roll-out of the supports was aligned to the launch of the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification.

The new supports help companies to develop tariff mitigation strategies and to be market diversified. They are:

• Enterprise Ireland’s Market Research Grant offers funding of up to €35,000 for companies to assess the full impact of tariffs, gain market insights and develop mitigation strategies.
• Enterprise Ireland’s New Markets Validation Grant offers funding of up to €150,000 for companies to develop market entry strategies for new markets or new products.

Enterprise Irelands Market Research Grant (MRG) and New Markets Validation Grant (NMVG) went live on 15th August 2025. At this point there are over 30 MRG and 40 NMVG applications from EI Client companies in the pipeline. These financial supports are part of a range of supports that EI's Client Advisors have available to address companies Export Development needs, and they have been promoting these solutions to support business plans and market diversification strategies as needed.

In the case of the MRG, this support was developed partly in response to changing tariff regimes, and a number of applications have focused on tariff mitigation strategies. The NMVG replaces the previous Market Discovery Fund, with changes to the supports to allow companies focus more intensively on validation of 1-2 potential new markets. Enterprise Ireland has been happy with the quality and focus of applications to date and would see these two supports being essential pillars for EI clients to consider as part of their Export Development and Market Diversification strategies going forward.