Ireland and the United Kingdom will begin their first-ever joint trade mission this week when Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton joins British defence secretary Stephen Hammond at a trade stand in Singapore.
The joint mission to the Singapore Air Show, which opens tomorrow, flows from agreement reached in Downing Street two years ago between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British prime minister David Cameron.
The Enterprise Ireland and UK Trade Investment stand at the air show – the largest of its kind to be held in Asia each year – will not include national flags, though the logo used "incorporates the colours of both", Irish Government officials said last night.
Privately wary
Initially, the Irish side had privately been wary about joint trade missions, fearing it could affect international perceptions of the relationship between the UK and Ireland, to Ireland's disadvantage – for example in agriculture.
But British strengths in aviation played into the decision on the Singapore exhibition, "since they have contacts and knowledge that nobody on the Irish side would have", The Irish Times was told last night.
“The priority in recent times has been to get this trade mission over the line,” said the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation last night, adding that “significant work” had already been done on other possible projects.
More than 60 companies, including over 40 from Ireland, will participate in the four days of activities, though there will be no defence/military element to the presentations by any of the Irish companies.
Joint missions
Enterprise Ireland has run joint missions with Invest Northern Ireland for some time. Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster will accompany Mr Bruton on the four-day mission, which will go on to Malaysia after Singapore.
Last night, Mr Bruton said the mission had “attracted an impressive list of companies from Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK” and would “demonstrate our considerable combined strengths in the aerospace sector”.
