A chara, - I was both astonished and disappointed with what Patricia McKenna MEP said on Questions and Answers on Monday, December 16th, when she stated categorically that Ireland exported 70 per cent of goods to the UK and 30 per cent elsewhere. She repeated this inaccurate statement a number of times, despite being contradicted by the Minister for Finance.
In 1995 our trade with the UK accounted for 25 per cent of total merchandise exports, while our exports to the rest of the world accounted for the balance of 75 per cent. In the last number of years the UK, as a percentage of our world trade, has decreased while the percentage of our trade with Europe has increased.
This shift in trade has been the result of a focused Government policy towards increasing our exports to Europe, while lessening our dependence on the UK. This policy is particularly important in view of our intention to participate as founding members of the EMU single currency block.
I am amazed that Ms McKenna, who represents the Green Party in the European Parliament, can be so ignorant of basic trade statistics and I wonder just what she is saying in the Parliament if this is the level of her knowledge. People do a disservice to our country by giving our wrong information. One would have thought that such a vocal politician would at least check her facts before giving us the benefit of her (often misleading) opinions. - Yours, etc.,
Dail Eireann,
Baile Atha Cliath, 2.