<p>Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 1:45 pm on 29 March 2017.

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Photo of Adam Price Adam Price Plaid Cymru 1:45, 29 March 2017

As the Cabinet Secretary has just said, Ireland is a strategically vital export market for the Welsh economy, worth more than £800 million a year. Now, on the negative side, during our visit, we were told that moves were already afoot to start channelling freight to mainland Europe away from Welsh ports and through Roscoff. Is the Cabinet Secretary aware of this, and what is the Welsh Government planning to do in response? On the positive side, we were told that Irish businesses are looking to invest in the UK and in Wales in order to build up their presence in the UK market after Brexit. Now, this is a specific opportunity for the Welsh economy, with many established Irish companies, such as Dawn Meats in Carmarthenshire, for example, already here. Can I ask the Cabinet Secretary whether his officials have already drawn up a list of Irish companies looking to invest or expand their existing operations? And, finally, given the important interrelationships between our two economies, will the Welsh Government consider investing in a permanent representation in Dublin and encourage his Irish counterparts to reopen the consulate general here in Wales, so we can strengthen the economic partnership between our two countries?