Enterprise Ireland Announces Intensified Programme Of Ministerial-Led Trade Missions

Enterprise Ireland has announced an intensified programme of ministerial-led trade missions aimed at supporting Irish exporters, in conjunction with the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Foreign Affairs and Trade, Enterprise Ireland.

A total of 68 events are currently being planned between July and December this year, including 26 ministerial-led trade missions for the second half of the year.

The expanded international trade mission and events programme is one of the key actions outlined by Enterprise Ireland in its '5 pillars of support' plan, to help client companies exporting to the UK launched by the agency directly after the UK referendum. The expanded programme will draw from Enterprise Ireland's international network, research and market intelligence. It will also utilise key contacts from the Department of Jobs, enterprise and Innovation, and the Embassy and Missions network from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to help provide the greatest opportunity for Irish companies to grow their exports.

Some of the key sectors and markets targeted include:

• Lifesciences Trade Mission to the USA

• Financial Services Trade Mission to China

• Subcontractor Automotive Expo in Sweden

• ICT Water and Wastewater Trade Mission to the Gulf

• Software and Education Trade Mission to India

• Food Manufacturing in UAE and Iran

The full programme of events includes ministerial-led trade missions, inward buyer visits, market study visits, international trade fairs, Embassy events and knowledge seminars – all aimed at linking Irish companies with international buyers, to help them scale and increase exports.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: "A key element of Enterprise Ireland's plan to support Irish exporters is around market expansion and diversification. We recently announced record export results of €20.6bn which demonstrates that our strategy of helping clients expand into new markets in recent years is working.

"We will now intensify that approach in order to increase the opportunities for Irish exporters to scale their businesses into other global markets continuing to reduce our overall dependence on the UK market.

"Our strategy is to continue to increase the number of globally diversified Irish companies and we will now firmly focus on opportunities in Northern Europe, the USA, Canada and other high-growth markets including the Middle East and Asia Pacific."

(MH/CD)