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Enterprise Ireland, the government export agency and the third largest seed investor in Europe, is undertaking trade mission to Scotland this week to highlight the business prospects for collaboration across the Irish Sea.

The mission – the largest in recent years - is being led by the Irish Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD and Deirdre McPartlin, Enterprise Ireland UK Manager. It comes amid concerns over Brexit, particularly the prospect of a ‘hard border’ between the UK and Ireland.

With 56 Irish companies participating on the trade mission to Scotland, it aims to promote Scottish-Irish collaboration and raise awareness for the scope and scale of the opportunities in Scotland.

Focusing in on Ireland’s strengths across fintech, cleantech, agritech, automotive, construction and digital technology, Enterprise Ireland said it hopes to reinforce the synergy across the two countries. It will focus, in particular, on talent, ambition and innovation, as well as broader infrastructure opportunities in food and beverage manufacturing and off-shore wind.

For Scotland and Ireland, exports in each direction have increased by more than 100 per cent since 2012. In 2017 Irish-Scottish trade exceeded £1.8 billion, up by 130 per cent over the last five years.

Ireland is also the fourth largest foreign direct investor in Scotland. Over the last year alone, the Fintech exports of Enterprise Ireland clients to Scotland grew by 12 per cent.

Enterprise Ireland sad that given the close proximity of the markets and shared business culture, the arrival of this Irish delegation in Scotland reaffirms the importance placed on strengthening trade relationships, particularly in the current Brexit climate.

The two-day mission will emphasise the opportunity for increased collaboration between the two countries and will facilitate Irish and Scottish companies to explore areas of potential collaboration and power future economic growth between both countries.

The mission will focus on Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as at various other sites around the country, including a visit to the Enterprise Ireland client Glennon Brothers’ state-of-the-art timber facility in Troon.

Seminars, roundtables and networking events will cover themes including environmental performance, innovation in asset and wealth management and the changing landscape of Scottish farming. Over the course of the two days Minister Humphreys will also meet Scottish Ministers Derek Mackay, Ivan McKee and Paul Wheelhouse.

Heather Humphreys TD, said: “Bilateral trade between Ireland and Scotland is strong, exceeding £1.8 billion in 2017 and there is immense opportunity to build on this for both countries.

“As Brexit negotiations continue, the Irish Government, through Enterprise Ireland is committed to consolidating and growing Irish exports to Scotland and the UK now and into the future. Engaging with senior Scottish business and political leaders is critical to this effort: to realise the scale of this opportunity for both Scotland and Ireland.”