merrion street

Eamon Gilmore today launched the Review of the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, which sets out a ‘new market approach’ for Ireland’s 27 priority markets and updates targets for growth in exports, investment, tourism and jobs.

The Tánaiste was joined at the launch by members of the Export Trade Council, including Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and Minister of State for Trade and Development Joe Costello.

The Review’s key recommendations are:

- the establishment of a ‘new market approach’ by disaggregating Ireland’s 27 priority markets to ensure that Ireland engages with high-growth markets in Asia, South America and Africa

- the inclusion, for the first time, of a 2015 target of €900 million for the international education sector in recognition of its growing economic contribution

- the maintenance of existing targets for the creation of 150,000 new jobs directly associated with exporting enterprises, a 33% increase in exports by State agency-assisted companies and 780 new inward investment projects through IDA Ireland, should be maintained.

Speaking at today’s launch the Tánaiste said:

Creating more and better jobs is the Government’s first priority. This Review will help to ensure that the resources of the State – both the embassy network and State agencies – are positioned to deliver maximum overall benefit for the economy, meaning good jobs for our people at home.

The Review includes a ‘new market approach’ which recognises markets deemed to be of crucial importance, designating them ‘High Value Markets’; a group of other ‘Established and Developing Markets’ and, finally, a number of ‘Exploratory and High Potential Markets’ where Ireland will be looking for new opportunities in the future. These include Turkey, Nigeria, Mexico, Vietnam and Chile, along with Indonesia and Thailand, where I recently announced that my Department will open two new embassies later this year.

As chair of the Export Trade Council, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Strategy, I am pleased to officially launch this Review together with the other members of the Council. I would like to thank all those whose constructive engagement was vital in producing this document.

Minister Richard Bruton added:

Exports are at the heart of our jobs plan. We inherited a broken economy based heavily on debt and property – we are in the process of building a new economy based on exports and enterprise, and in the past two years the exporting sectors have added more than 20,000 extra jobs. I am determined to ensure that we continue the systematic, brick-by-brick approach to rebuilding our exports and our competitiveness that we have taken in the past three years. With the right supports for our agencies, and the right support for exporters, we can continue the trends we have seen in the past two years and create the employment we need.

The Review introduces a ‘new market approach’, which disaggregates Ireland’s 27 priority markets under ’High Value Markets’, ‘Other Established and Developing Markets’ and – for the first time – ‘ Exploratory and High Potential Markets’ - to ensure that Ireland also engages with high growth markets in Asia, South America and Africa.

Read the full press release

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