Agency predicts export growth for client firms

Enterprise Ireland is forecasting another record year of export growth for its client firms in 2013, after values exceeded €16 billion for the first time last year.

Asked, yesterday — at the publication of Enterprise Ireland’s 2012 export performance report — whether last year might have marked a spike in performance, outgoing Enterprise Ireland chief executive Frank Ryan said that was not the case. He claimed that a very strong fourth quarter 2012 performance had already been followed by an equally impressive first quarter to 2013.

He added that the agency is targeting similar growth in client exports — of around €1bn — as last year. Yesterday’s figures showed that Enterprise Ireland’s client companies generated export income of €16.2bn during 2012, up from €15.2bn in 2011. The growth was largely driven by manufacturing companies and business conducted in the North American market.