What We Do

Bilateral trade

Bilateral trade promotes the development of Ireland’s exports by the coordination of overseas trade missions and other promotional events led by ministers of the department and assists in the coordination of inward trade related visits. We also maintain comprehensive data on trade with all of Ireland’s trading partners.

Our main focus is to promote the development of Ireland’s exports to world markets. This is achieved by working closely with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in the development and coordination of the programme of ministerial-led overseas trade missions and other promotional events, and assisting in the coordination of inward trade related visits.

We also facilitate the coordination of direct government to government contacts, whether formal or informal and ensure that any difficulties that may arise can be addressed.

We compile up to date and comprehensive data on exports and imports to and from Ireland’s trading partners.

Trade missions

The department promotes the development of Ireland’s exports by the coordination of overseas trade missions and other promotional events led by the ministers of the department.

Each year we coordinate a number of ministerial-led overseas trade missions. These involve an extensive range of meetings for participant Irish companies (client companies of Enterprise Ireland) with the aim of developing contacts and/or finalising contracts/joint ventures with partner companies in those countries and also developing an awareness of Ireland as a supplier of world-class goods and services. In addition high-level meetings with ministers and officials take place during trade missions.

Trade statistics

Ireland’s Trade Performance Table for Goods and Services