With Ireland as the fifth largest exporter of UK merchandise, the nation imported €25.1 billion in goods and services from the region last year. And IEA Chief Executive John Whelan believes that the visit of key UK officials to Ireland will increase this number even more.

“The UK is our largest export market for goods and services and grew to €27.8 billion in 2010, but this was off the high point we reached of  €30 billion in 2007,” he said in a statement. “Exports sales have been falling since that time, but we are confident that the state visit from the UK will reposition Ireland and Irish products and services in a more favorable light in the hearts and minds of UK consumers and will boost our exports above the €30 billion level this year.”

John Whelan

Whelan and the IEA are also focused on boosting Ireland’s trade presence in Poland. Addressing the issue at the Export Opportunities — Poland seminar, which was co-hosted by the Ireland Poland Business Association, the IEA sought ways to improve exportation to Poland, which fell 20 percent since 2009.

“As the only member of the European Union to avert outright recession during the global economic crisis, and with the economy rebounding more quickly than its peers in Central and Eastern Europe, Poland offers tremendous opportunities for Irish exporters,” Whelan said in a statement.

Fortunately, he believes that recent political events will work in Ireland’s favor in regards to exportation. “The upcoming Polish management of the EU presidency offers new opportunities for the new Irish government to open up new doors for Irish trade and help reverse the falling trade between the two countries,” Whelan said.