Exporters group welcomes new Government strategy

The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) has given a guarded welcome to today’s launch of the new Services Strategy for Ireland.

“The strategy is a very late but nonetheless a very welcome refocusing of Government resources to support the services sector and help to increase the number of companies exporting their services,” said John Whelan, chief executive of the IEA.

“Services inflation has been running well ahead of general inflation for the past decade here in Ireland. This trend is now beginning to affect the competitiveness of the sector and its ability to export.”

The strategy was launched by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan.

The IEA expressed hopes for the continued growth of the services export sector, but warned that growth will only be realised if wage moderation is brought into the sector.

The group cautioned that the current national pay talks must not add to the inflationary costs of running services businesses, saying that a successful services strategy for Ireland is linked to a competitive wage strategy.

“A restart of the DOHA WTO negotiations is also an objective the Government must commit to if the service strategy is to have the growth potential envisaged internationally,” Whelan added.