Address by Mr. Michael Ahern TD, Minister for Trade and Commerce, at the National Trade Forum, 11^th October 2006, at 2pm.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to welcome you all here to day to the second meeting of the National Trade Forum. We last got together in Farmleigh in July last year, where we launched the National Statement of Trade Policy and it is appropriate that we now take stock of developments since that time and of current issues relating to the trade agenda.

The key development at that last meeting was the publication of our National Statement of Trade Policy, which sets out the key principles of our policies to manage and develop our trade.

That meeting also considered a programme of research work to be undertaken by Forfas and, now that we have the key stakeholders present, it is opportune to look again at developments in the meantime and to help determine priorities for the immediate future.

Firstly, it worthwhile reflecting on how Ireland’s Trade had developed during 2005 and in the first part of this year, in what has been a turbulent and volatile set of circumstances in some world markets. Some important economies have been in the doldrums and there have been exchange rate fluctuations in certain currencies. Despite this, it is heartening to report that our overall exports have increased by 5% in 2005 over and above the 2004 total. This good news story has continued during 2006.

Despite a couple of indifferent months, the overall exports for the period January to June 2006 are up 3% on the same period in 2005 and the figures available for July show a continuation of that trend. This is no mean achievement and reflects great credit on our exporters who have worked tirelessly. We should also recognise the sterling work of Enterprise Ireland, with their network of offices in key markets overseas and the range of promotional activities they have undertaken during the year. We are also grateful to Bord Bia who have promoted food and drink exports with considerable success during this period and to the Department of Foreign Affairs, whose embassies pursue the trade agenda at every possible opportunity. In addition we are grateful to Forfas for their analysis of trade issues and you will hear more of that research later this afternoon.

Since the last meeting, we have all continued efforts to diversify our markets and explore new opportunities to ensure a better balance in the countries to which Ireland exports its goods and services. This development of new markets continues apace and during the last 15 months, a range of Trade Missions and other initiatives have been undertaken. Both the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michéal Martin and myself, have led Trade Missions to many countries, far and near. Minister Martin was part of the group of Ministers who, in January last, accompanied the Taoiseach to India, a vast market that has many exciting possibilities for Irish producers. We are confident that the seeds sown there will bear considerable fruit in the years ahead. So far this year, in addition to our traditional markets in the UK and other countries of the EU, we have undertaken Missions to newer and more challenging opportunities such as countries like Ukraine and Slovakia, as well as more distant but well established markets like Australia and Japan.

Indeed, to illustrate that trade with the economic powerhouse of the east, China, is not all one way, a trade Mission was undertaken to that country by Minister Martin in July and I myself will be undertaking several trade related events there beginning later this week.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, Enterprise Ireland are at the forefront of identifying new markets in parts of the world which do not immediately spring to mind – some time ago they organised a seminar on Trade with Kazakhstan, which, despite having only recently emerged from the former Soviet Union, represents an exciting prospect for a range of Irish goods and services, on account of its vast oil wealth.

As you will know, the Government’s Asia Strategy, launched last year, just prior to the last meeting of this group, has set ambitious goals to develop trade and other links with selected Asian countries. The Taoiseach himself, is particularly committed to this initiative and has visited several of the countries concerned to help boost the momentum for enhanced trade in that part of the world. The relevant Departments and Agencies have been working hard to ensure that the targets set out in that policy will be achieved by 2009. A High Level Group is overseeing the process and the momentum is being maintained.

A very welcome development this year, has been the closer ties which have been established with our counterparts in Northern Ireland. Enterprise Ireland now work closely with their equivalent Agency, Invest Northern Ireland and, at a senior political level, it has been agreed that there will be ongoing close links to promote the all-Ireland dimension of trade promotion.

Already, several Northern Ireland companies accompanied the Taoiseach’s Trade Mission to India earlier his year and just next week, another group of companies from there will accompany Minister Martin’s Mission to Canada. Furthermore, and for the first time the combined party will also be accompanied by the North’s junior minister with responsibility for Trade, Maria Eagle MP. Bringing our collective strengths to bear on the single goal of developing new trade markets can only be beneficial for trade promotion on the entire island of Ireland.

Turning to the work in hand, today’s session will consider a range of very interesting topics. As I mentioned earlier, Forfas will give an analysis of recent trends in Irish trade and will outline the research work that they have undertaken since the last meeting. We also have presentations on Single Windows and the UK view of the international trade talks process.

Finally, you will be very interested in hearing from John Fitzpatrick from the Central Statistics Office, who will outline developments on compiling Statistics on trade in Services. All of us have been conscious that the absence of data on trade in Services was a significant shortfall for many years, especially in view of the growing level of such trade, both inwards and outwards. We are very pleased that the CSO have been able to make significant progress on this topic and this data will be very useful to all of us. I take this opportunity to congratulate the CSO for this excellent initiative.

Thank you all very much indeed.