The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., will deliver a progress report on the ongoing review of Ireland’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, at a meeting of the Export Trade Council (ETC) later today.
The Tánaiste will be joined at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade by other members of the Council, including relevant Government Ministers, CEOs of the State Agencies who are involved in promoting trade, tourism and investment abroad, and representatives from the private sector, including IBEC and the Irish Exporters Association, for the bi-annual meeting of the Council.
Speaking ahead of the ETC meeting, the Tánaiste said:
“Our global trade and investment links are driving Ireland’s nascent economic recovery. Despite the significant international market challenges that we have faced in recent years, we have achieved strong export growth, with total exports now at a historic high of €182 billion in 2012 – some 16 per cent higher than their pre-crisis levels in 2007.
Crucially, this growth is also driving job creation. We are now creating over 3,000 jobs per month, and the live register has fallen below 400,000 for the first time since 2009.”
This is the fifth meeting of the ETC which is chaired by the Tánaiste and was established following the formation of the Government in 2011 to strengthen cooperation and coordination across all Government Departments and State Agencies involved in the promotion and development of trade, tourism and investment.
Referring to the review of the Trade Strategy, which is due for completion by the end of 2013, the Tánaiste said:
“My Department, in conjunction with the agencies and other relevant government departments, is currently leading a short, focussed review of our existing Trade Strategy to reassess our approach to the sectors, markets and targets which were identified when the Strategy was drawn up in 2010.
The aim is make sure the resources of the State continue to adapt to Ireland’s evolving trading environment in order to yield maximum benefit for the economy. This is even more important now as we prepare to exit the bailout at the end of this year.”
The review of the Trade Strategy is being conducted in close collaboration with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and other relevant Government Departments and State Agencies involved in the promotion of trade, tourism and investment.
Press Office
7 November, 2013
Note for Editors:
· The Export Trade Council’s (ETC) role is to strengthen cooperation and coordination across all Government Departments and State agencies involved in the promotion and development of trade, tourism and investment, and to oversee the progressive implementation of the recommendations set out in the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy, Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, published in 2010.
· The Strategy sets out targets in trade, tourism and investment to be met by 2015, as well as a programme of actions conducive to achieving these targets.
· The members of the Council include; Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D., the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar T.D. and the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D. The State Agencies that work closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy network in promoting trade, tourism and investment will be represented at CEO level at the meeting. (IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and Forfás).
· In addition, the private sector is represented on the Council through representatives of IBEC and the IEA, as well as through the participation of a number of individuals from the private sector with a track record in the relevant sectors.