James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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304. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she will take to assist smaller businesses who trade between the United Kingdom and Ireland following the result of the United Kingdom's referendum to leave the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20111/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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It is important to emphasise that the UK is still an EU member, therefore our businesses can continue to trade with the UK on the same terms as before. The precise implications of the UK vote will now depend on the period of negotiation ahead, involving the UK and our EU partners. The Government has undertaken careful planning in recent months for the contingency of this result. We will now take this work forward to ensure that we respond appropriately and that Ireland’s interests are represented fully in the negotiating process.

Following the announcement of the referendum result on Friday June 24th, as part of my own contingency plans, I instituted a Coordination Group consisting of the Chief Executive Officers of both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland and relevant enterprise, single market, and trade officials, to oversee the management of our immediate response and the messaging to businesses both overseas and domestically. I will continue to chair this Group as part my Department’s ongoing response as developments unfold. I have also met with the Director General and CEOs of IBEC, SFA, ISME, and the Irish Exporters Association, to hear at first hand the reactions and concerns of business.

In addition, I have met with the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and will meet them again shortly. Given the importance of the North-South economic relationship I am also meeting this week with Inter-Trade Ireland and recently met bilaterally with my Northern Ireland Counterpart and the Referendum result was discussed.

Enterprise Ireland, as the enterprise agency under the remit of my Department with responsibility for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, including many smaller businesses who trade between the UK and Ireland, has already put in place a dedicated team to address issues of concern to clients. It has also provided a dedicated phone line and published an Information Guide for clients, detailing ‘5 pillars of support’ and FAQs on its website.

Since the referendum result on 24 June, Enterprise Ireland has:

- Communicated with more than 1,500 clients who export to the UK, with a statement of reassurance and pointing them to the resources available.

- Initiated direct engagement with clients most impacted (more than 200 to date) both in Ireland, and overseas, to hear their concerns.

- Led a pro-active communications campaign in the national media, supporting Enterprise Ireland’s ability to respond to client needs for information and assurance.

The most immediate impact for Enterprise Ireland clients is currency fluctuation. To address this, Enterprise Ireland have conducted a survey of clients exporting to the UK markets to ascertain their currency management status and developed a webinar, which is now live on the Enterprise Ireland website.

This week, Enterprise Ireland will publish a new ‘Guide to Exporting to the UK, post EU Referendum’ which will include expert advice and commentary as well as practical supports on LEAN business, business models, legal, tax, currency risk and supply chain management.

In the period ahead, Enterprise Ireland will pursue a dual strategy of market diversification, beyond the UK markets, while at the same time, supporting Irish companies to maintain and grow existing exports in the UK market (€7.5bn in 2015.)

I have asked Enterprise Ireland to accelerate the finalisation of their plans for increasing the number of trade missions both within the EU, to include France, Germany and Scandinavia, and to intensify our programme of missions in non-EU markets.

More generally, with trade in goods and services across the Irish sea amount to approx. €1.2 bn per week, I will be lending my support to deepening bi-lateral trading relations, and in this regard I will lead a trade mission to the Farnborough International Air Show on 12/13 July.

The network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), which are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business, will continue to provide assistance to the small business sector via their suite of support measures.

The LEOs also offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities.

My Department is fully committed to supporting business in this period of heightened uncertainty and we will continue to work closely with the Department of the Taoiseach, the enterprise agencies and other Departments to monitor the impact of the UK referendum result both on indigenous and international companies.