Economic & Promotional Work of our Embassy Network in 2013

136 high-level visits with a significant economic or promotional dimension across 52 countries

In 2013, our Embassy network continued to play a crucial role in supporting the Government’s work to increase trade, tourism and investment in Ireland.

Our Embassy network supported 136 visits with a significant economic or promotional dimension by Ministers or Oireachtas delegations to 52 countries. These high-level visits were designed to increase trade and investment in Ireland and support Ireland’s economic recovery.

In close coordination with the State agencies, including Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland, in 2013, our embassy network: 

• Coordinated the Work of Team Ireland - In each of Ireland’s 27 priority markets, the Ambassador chairs Local Market Teams comprising the representatives of IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland in the country to develop a coordinated trade, tourism and investment plan for Ireland in the market

• Undertook more than 730 specific engagements designed to increase trade and investment in Ireland and support Irish jobs

• Engaged with more than 1,150 representatives of international media to brief on Ireland’s economic recovery and promote Ireland as a destination for trade and investment. Positive media coverage reached more than 50 million people

• Lobbied, influenced and negotiated for Ireland on issues that could impact our economic interests - 661 engagements to promote Ireland’s economic positions to office-holders. For example, our Embassy in Germany, undertook a programme of outreach to German policy-makers, including visits to every German Federal region for engagements with their regional leaderships and parliaments

Secured Market Access for Irish products to 9 international markets, including China, Japan, Australia and the Gulf region with a combined population of 1.5 billion

• Public diplomacy - directly promoted Ireland to audiences of over 778,000 around the world

• 70 focussed company engagements around Saint patrick's Day alone  

• Organised and facilitated business events involving over 8,500 Irish and international company representatives during the St Patrick’s Day period alone

• Promoting Tourism – directly promoted Irish tourism and ‘The Gathering’ from its worldwide launch in March 2012 at 656 events and engagements

We are placing an increasing focus on the world’s emerging economies. Our Embassy network supported six high level visits to China, as well as, the largest ever tourism sales mission to the country. This included a four day political and trade mission led by the Tánaiste in July during which full market access for Irish salmon exports was announced.

In close coordination with the State agencies, our network also supported:

- an investment-focussed trade mission to India

- a major push to attract international scholarship students from Brazil, resulting in ten times more Brazilian students coming to Ireland in 2013 than in 2010

- a major trade mission to Turkey led by the Tánaiste during which deals were secured expected to reach well over €30m in value

- a Presidential visit to Mexico, supported by our Embassy in Mexico, during which the President addressed 700 leading business and political leaders at the Cumbre de Negocios in Guadalajara, the foremost annual business and economic summit in Latin America.

- a major trade mission to South Africa and Nigeria led by Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello

- senior Ministerial visits to the Philippines and Indonesia as part of the St Patrick’s Day programme for the first time