asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has any specific trade initiatives for Irish companies in relation to the Far East and Latin-American regions.

CTT have offices in Singapore, Japan and China and trade consultants in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the Republic of Korea, all aimed at increasing exports to that region. The trade mission is the most effective device in trying to increase market share in the countries in question. A list of specific trade missions and sectoral missions to the Far East projected by CTT for 1988, will be circulated in the Official Report.

CTT have researched the potential for Irish manufactured exports to Latin America as recently as last year. While some countries show signs of emerging from severe economic difficulties, tight import regimes and high tariffs are being maintained by many. Economic and political instability in the region, together with the long travelling distance involved, imply limited export opportunities in the short term. I have asked CTT to keep the situation under review.

The Deputy will be aware that LatinAmerican countries have huge external debt problems.

Trade and Sectoral Missions to the Far East

* These two trade missions will be ministerially led.

Also under consideration is a consultancy services mission to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in October. While missions will concentrate in the areas listed, many companies will use the opportunity of the mission to visit other neighbouring markets.

Is a trade attaché to be appointed to the Embassy in Buenos Aires to promote Latin America in view of the proposals the Government have been making for turning our embassies into trade-related centres?

I have no direct information on the Buenos Aires situation. As soon as it comes to hand I will let the Deputy have it.

If that were being done the Minister of State would know.

I expect I would know.

So he is not doing it.

Is the Minister of State aware that the Government of Taiwan have announced recently a radical reduction in their import tariffs and that that market now represents a great opportunity for European exporters? Further, there was a trade mission in Europe from that country with a spending budget in excess of $1 billion in the last couple of months but they did not come to this country because we are not showing sufficient interest in that very attractive and potentially big market. Perhaps the Minister of State will consider changing or upgrading our representation in that country from a trade representative to a trade office.

CTT estimate that exports to Japan grew by approximately 5 per cent in 1987. Starting from a much lower base, exports to Taiwan increased by 130 per cent and we have recently given permission for a trade presence to be established in Dublin.

Does the Minister consider that an upgraded office in Taiwan would be much more advantageous from our point of view?

I am aware of the opportunities in the region. This is a step forward and we will see if we can improve on it as time does on.

Is the Minister aware of the very substantial trade imbalance between this country and Japan and of the stated Japanese Government intention to welcome further trade with Ireland? Is he also aware that many large Irish companies who are exporting worldwide are not exporting to Japan and would be consider some form of deliberate new initiative to encourage large flagship Irish enterprises to export to the Far East? If he relies totally on CTT's current programmes, the requirements will not be met.

I share the Deputy's excitement about the possibilities with regard to Japan. The Minister for Industry and Commerce will visit that country in the next couple of months and I hope to lead a trade mission there some time in the autumn. We are targeting on Japan as a major area of opportunity, particularly given their strong situation. The trading houses which have recently been cleared by the EC represent an area that the Japanese understand very well and I hope to have talks with Japanese interests in terms of considering the trading house structure here to see if they can be of help in developing a link between the trading house movement here and the Japanese situation.

Will the Minister agree that people who have been exporting to Japan find they get much more frustrated than excited when they try to get goods into that country? The Japanese system is very adept at keeping out goods they do not wish to be imported into their country. That is what Europe should be addressing — breaking down the resistence of the Japanese to allow goods to be imported into their economy. We cannot do that alone; Europe must do it.

I have no difficulty with that analysis. I am aware of the difficulties of that market and the cultural background and so on.

It is not cultural; it is deliberate policy.