Joint IDA/Enterprise Ireland mission includes more than 30 high-level meetings and events to target ICT and financial services sector Number of Ministerial-led Enterprise Ireland trade missions has doubled since launch of Action Plan for JobsThe Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD today (Saturday) departs on a trade and investment mission to China and Japan.
Since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012 the number of trade missions led by Enterprise Ireland has doubled, from an average of 8.5 (2007-2011) to an average of 17 (2012 and scheduled for 2013). The Action Plan for Jobs includes a commitment by Government to carry out an intensive programme of Ministerial-led trade and investment missions.
The 5 full days of the mission to Shenzhen, Beijing and Tokyo will include more than 30 high-level meetings and events with two primary aims:
· attracting investment and jobs to Ireland from multinational companies from China and Japan,
· supporting Irish companies seeking to increase their exports to China and Japan, thereby growing economic activity and jobs in Ireland.
The mission, arranged jointly by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland under Minister Bruton’s Department, will target particularly the ICT and financial services sector, and will include meetings with some of the biggest companies in the world in these sectors.
In March 2012 the Taoiseach together with Minister Bruton led a high-level trade and investment mission to China which included meetings with then Premier Wen Jiabao as well as then Vice President and now President Xi Jinping. Minister Bruton will be the fourth Cabinet Minister to lead a mission to China since then, as part of the Government’s strategy to target growth markets and China in particular.
The intensive programme of more than 30 high-level meetings and events includes:
· 11 one-on-one meetings with multinational companies considering establishing operations in Ireland or already located here. These 11 companies employ a total of almost 1 million people worldwide,
· 15 events and meetings aimed at promoting Irish companies who are seeking to increase their exports in the Chinese/Japanese markets, and facilitating contacts for them with Chinese/Japanese companies who might buy their products or services,
· Three media events, one in each of Shenzhen, Beijing and Tokyo, to communicate Ireland’s recovery story and in particular the strengths of Irish exporting companies and of Ireland as a location for multinational investment,
· Four high-level political meetings, in both China and Japan.
Speaking prior to departing, 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 over 15,000 jobs. Each job added in companies in these sectors leads to approximately one additional job elsewhere in the economy. As part of the transition to a new economy based on enterprise, innovation and exports that we are supporting, we must not only continue to grow jobs in multinational companies, but also support ambitious Irish companies seeking to grow their exports and jobs.
“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 China are particular targets, and since the Taoiseach and I travelled to there last year the Government has stepped up our efforts to improve our performance in exports and investment with China. 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”.
For further information contact:
Conor Quinn, Press Advisor to Minister Bruton, Tel: 087 3743783.
Press office, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Tel: 01 631 2200.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Action Plan for Jobs includes a commitment by Government to carry out an intensive programme of Ministerial-led trade and investment missions. Since the Plan was launched in early 2012 the number of trade missions led by Enterprise Ireland, for example, has doubled, from an average of 8.5 (2007-2011) to an average of 17 (2012 and scheduled for 2013).
This is Minister Bruton’s 15thmajor trade/investment mission in 28 months since taking office in March 2011.
The 14 previous missions undertaken comprise:
· Five IDA investment missions to the USA, two to the east coast, two to the west coast and one encompassing the East Coast, South and Mid-West,
· Five Enterprise Ireland trade missions, one to Texas, one to the south-eastern USA, one to Saudi Arabia and India, one to Canada and one to France accompanied by hundreds of Irish companies looking to break into new export markets,
· A 7-day joint EI/IDA mission to China led by the Taoiseach,
· A 5-day EI/IDA trip to the west coast of the USA built around St Patrick’s Day 2012,
· A 4-day mission to Germany around St Patrick’s Day 2013, and a 2-day mission to Germany around St Patrick’s Day 2011, including a series of meetings arranged by IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland.
Extracts from Minister Bruton’s schedule:
Sunday 21st July – Hong Kong and Shenzhen
20.30 Meeting between Irish organisation and Chinese partner in education sector
Monday 22nd July-Shenzhen
08.30 – 10.00 Meeting with IDA target company, ICT sector
10.30 – 12.45 Meeting and lunch with IDA client company, ICT sector.
Includes meeting with Irish partner company.
13.45 – 15.00 Group Media Interview, Shenzhen
15.30 – 16.45 Meeting with IDA target company, medical devices sector
19.15 Depart Shenzhen for Beijing
Tuesday 23rd July - Beijing
07.30- 08.30 ‘Breakfast roundtable on Doing business in China’
09.15 – 10.30 Meeting with IDA client company, financial services sector
11.00 – 12.30 Meeting with IDA client company, financial services sector
13.30-14.30 Meeting with Ministry of Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng
15.30 – 16.30 Travel Technologies showcase –To include Irish technology companies and their Chinese partners with presentation by keynote speaker representing Chinese Hospitality Industry
16.30 – 17.30 Meeting Enterprise Ireland client company and Chinese partner (ICT sector)
18.30 Ambassador’s Dinner –Ambassador Kelleher to host a private dinner on behalf of the Minister focusing on key executives and Government officials in the Financial Services sector
Wednesday 24th July - Beijing
9.30 – 10.30 Meeting with potential Chinese partner for Irish companies (life sciences sector)
11.30-13.30 Ireland Financial Services Seminar
13.00 – 13.30 Meeting with IDA client company, manufacturing sector
13.30 – 15.00 Media Briefing, Beijing
17.22 Depart Beijing for Tokyo
Thursday 25th July - Tokyo
08.00 – 09.00 Breakfast briefing with Ambassador, representatives from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce
09.30 – 10.30 Meeting with IDA/EI target company, technology sector
11.00 – 11.45 Meeting with IDA client company, financial services sector
12.00 – 14.00 Business Leaders lunch – For existing and target IDA and Enterprise Ireland clients in Financial Services sector
14.30– 15.30 Media Briefing
16.00 – 16.45 Meeting with IDA target company, ICT sector
17.15 – 18.00 Meeting with Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Venue Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
18.20 – 18.50 Meeting with IDA client company, ICT sector
19.00 – 21.00 Business Leaders Dinner with IDA and Enterprise Ireland target and existing clients
Friday 26th July Tokyo
09.30 – 10.30 Meeting IDA target company, pharma sector
11.00 – 12.00 Meeting with Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch with Japan- Ireland Parliamentary Friendship League
14.30 – 15.30 Meeting with Enterprise Ireland client company and Japanese partner (financial services sector)
16.00 – 16.45 Meeting with Japanese company, financial services sector
18.30 – 19.00 Short Meeting with Mr Frank Sanda, president of JCI, and a member of the Global Irish Network
19.00 – 21.00 Business Reception with Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce with Japan-Ireland Chamber of Commerce