Number of Ministerial-led trade missions has doubled since launch of Action Plan for Jobs
42 Irish companies and Higher Education Institutions on mission to target
sectors including technology, life sciences, financial services,
engineering and education
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD today (Saturday) departs on a five-day trade and investment mission to India involving 42 Irish companies and education institutions, organised by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. The intensive five days of business activity on the mission will cover three cities, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai.
This is the 17th major trade and investment mission that Minister Bruton
has led in 32 months since taking office in March 2011. The number of
Enterprise Ireland Ministerial trade missions has doubled since the launch
of the Action Plan for Jobs.
The schedule includes over 30 high-level meetings and events all focussed
on two key aims – supporting Irish companies and education institutions to
increase exports to India, and attracting investment and jobs into Ireland
from key Indian companies. Included in the schedule are:
· 16 events and meetings aimed at promoting Irish companies who are
seeking to increase their exports in the Indian market
· 9 one-on-one meetings with Indian companies considering locating in
Ireland or already located here
· 15 engagements with Indian media – targeting business media in
particular – to promote Irish companies exporting to India as well as
promoting Ireland as a destination for multinational investment
· A meeting with Anand Sharma, Indian Government Minister for Commerce
and Industry
Speaking before his departure Minister Bruton said:
“Central to the Government’s plans for jobs and growth is driving an
export-led recovery, and in the past two years we have seen a turnaround in
employment in the exporting sectors of the economy. In the three years
2008-2010 Irish and multinational exporting companies lost more than 40,000
jobs, but since 2011 they have added well over 15,000 jobs. Each job added
in companies in these sectors leads to approximately one additional job
elsewhere in the economy.
“Through the Action Plan for Jobs we have implemented a range of changes to
provide better supports for companies who are determined to continue
growing their exports and creating new jobs, including the establishment of
a Potential Exporters Division in Enterprise Ireland and a series of tax
changes to make it easier to place staff in overseas markets and to attract
key multinational executives to Ireland.
“Key growth markets such as India are particular targets. We have delivered
increases in the intensity of our programme of Ministerial-led trade
missions, and I am determined that through the intensive series of meetings
and events that we hold this week, we will help grow exports and investment
in this high-growth market and help create the jobs in Ireland we need”.