Overseas Market Introduction Service
For Sea Fish Industry Authority
Order Reference: IRE 0739
Report on the Irish Seafood Market
Produced by
Gavin Davidson,
Trade Advisor,
British Embassy, Dublin.
Tel: 00353 (0)1 205 3759
E-mail: gavin.davidson@fco.gov.uk
Due Date of Document: Wednesday, the 6th February 2013
The Overseas Market Introduction Service (‘OMIS’) is provided by the Commercial Departments of Diplomatic Service Posts overseas as part of the joint trade development operation,
UK Trade & Investment (‘UKTI’), of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (‘the FCO’) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (‘BIS’). Whereas every effort has been
made to ensure that information provided through OMIS is accurate, these Commercial Departments, UKTI, the FCO and BIS accept no liability for any errors, omissions or misleading
statements in such information and accept no responsibility as to the standing of any firm, company or individual mentioned. Any party interested in the goods or services provided by
any company referred to in OMIS material should undertake their own research and should not consider a reference in OMIS material to be an endorsement of any goods, services or
companies mentioned.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Table of Contents
Part One: Introduction ........................................................................... 3
Part Two: Background ............................................................................ 4
- Barriers to Entry ................................................................................ 4
- Routes to Market................................................................................ 4
Part Three: Matching Profile .................................................................... 5
-
The Trade Environment ........................................................................ 5
The Sea Fisheries Sector ....................................................................... 6
Consumer Preference Trends ............................................................... 10
Retail Sales Trends ............................................................................ 11
International Trade Trends .................................................................. 14
Part Four: Doing Business Profile ............................................................. 15
- Supermarket Retailers ....................................................................... 15
- Labelling of fish and fishery products..................................................... 16
Part Five: Further Infrmation ................................................................. 18
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
- Useful Websites................................................................................ 18
Appendix – Ireland: An Overview ........................................................... 200
B) Geography ................................................................................ 211
C) Population ................................................................................ 222
D) Trade......................................................................................... 24
E) Public Holidays ........................................................................... 266
F) Transport Infrastructure ................................................................ 277
G) Business Costs ............................................................................ 288
2
Background to the Report
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Seafish commissioned UKTI Dublin to produce a market research report on the
seafood sector in Ireland.
Part One: Introduction
By numerous measures, a small country, Ireland continues to remain an important
supplier, processer and consumer of fishery products, far in excess of what would
be expected.
Naturally, this is largely due to its geographical dimensions – an island – together
with its strategic position on the western coast of Europe. The Atlantic Ocean lies
to its west, the Irish Sea to its east, the North Atlantic to its north (which it shares
with Northern Ireland) and the Celtic Sea to its south.
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Moreover, each is influenced by the warm tropical waters of the Gulf Stream
originating in the Gulf of Mexico. This has ensured a marine environment rich in a
wide variety of fisheries, ensuring an established seafood export and import
market for British business seeking to expand internationally.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Part Two: Background
Barriers to Entry
There are few, if any, official or unofficial barriers to entry for UK companies in
the Irish market; same language, geographically close, similar business and legal
culture, fellow member state of EU etc. However, as a small country, the active
business community is even smaller. Contacts and connections can be important
here.
Routes to Market
The Irish business culture places great importance on face-to-face contact. Irish
business people are generally generous with information and their time. They are
particularly appreciative of foreign business people who take the time and effort
to visit Ireland.
Aside from direct sales, possible routes to market include partnerships, distributors
or agents, marketing organisations and web-based procurement channels.
4
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
The latter is particularly relevant for state contracts, where many projects of
various sizes are advertised on a single government procurement website.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Part Three: Matching Profile
- The Trade Environment
Table 1: Fast Facts on Ireland (‘Republic of Ireland’)
Geography
Land Area
Tidal and Fresh Water Area
Coastline
Capital
Other Main Cities
6,841,891.4 Hectares
191,843.64 Hectares
(= 7,033,735.04 Hectares in Total)
2,796.63 Kilometres
Dublin
Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick
Population, Language & Culture
Population
4.7 million
Number of Households
1.47 Million
Languages
English, Irish (also known by its official translation,‘Gaeilge’)
Religion
Roman Catholic (87.4%), Church of Ireland (2.9%), Other Christian
(1.9%), Other (7.8%)
Trade
Total Food and Drink (2011)
Exports from the UK to IRE
Total Food and Drink (2011)
Exports from IRE to the UK
$187.1 Billion (in Purchasing Power Parity terms)
1.4%
$40,800 (in Purchasing Power Parity terms)
2.6%
14.4%
EURO (€)
0.86
£3.22 Billion
Circa 18% of all UK exports to IRE
£3.70 Billion
Circa 29% of all IRE Exports to the UK
Source: UKTI / Dpt. For BiS, CIA Factfile, Irish Central Statistics Office
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Economy
Total GDP (2011)
Real GDP Growth Rate
(2011)
GDP per Capita (2011)
Inflation Rate (2011)
Unemployment Rate (2011)
Currency
Average Exchange Rate
£GBP per €1
E.U. Member (including the Common Fisheries Policy)
Parliamentary Democracy
5
Politics
European Union Status
Government Type
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
- The Sea Fisheries Sector
Headline Figures
In 2010, there were a total of 21,793 landings into Irish Ports accounting for
245,956 tonnes of pelagic, demersal and shellfish species with an overall value of
€207,828,921.
Landings, Nationality, Weight & Value
Irish vessels represented 20,473 of these landings, accounting for 94% of the total
number of landings into Ireland in 2010.
Weight & Value: The combined weight of Irish vessels’ landings in Ireland
represented 164,616 tonnes (67% of the tonnage landed in Ireland) with a
value of €158,776,340 (76% of catch landed in Ireland by value).
Foreign vessels accounted for 1,320 of the landings, representing 6% of the total
landings into Ireland in 2010.
Nationality: These included: 528 landings from French vessels; 375 landings
from Spanish vessels; 329 landings from UK vessels; and 73 landings from
Norwegian vessels. German and Belgian fishing vessels landed six and five
times here respectively, and fishing vessels from Denmark, the Netherlands,
Portugal and Greenland each landed once.
Weight & Value: The weight of foreign vessels landings in Ireland accounted
for 81,340 tonnes of pelagic, demersal and shellfish species (33% of the
tonnage landed in Ireland) with a combined value of €49,052,581 (24% of the
catch landed in Ireland by value)
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Species
Value (€)
Live Weight (Tonne)
Atlantic Mackerel
44,708,000
42,591
Norway Lobster
33,394,000
7,931
Blue Whiting
32,028,000
60,527
Hake European
24,423,000
13,315
Monk / Angelfish
24,266,000
8,139
Scallop / Great
Atlantic
16,806,000
2,266
Horse Mackerel Nei
16,082,000
31,977
Megrim Nei
12,996,000
4,472
Lobster European
9,103,000
735
Atlantic Herring
8,139,000
18,551
Source: The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (‘SFPA’), Ireland
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Rank
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Table 2: Top 10 Species Landed - 2011
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Table 3: Top 20 Landing Ports – 2011
Port Name
Value (€)
Live Weight (Tonnes)
Killybegs
72,855,000
149,321
Castletownbere
45,078,000
25,427
Kilmore Quay
18,392,000
3,722
Dingle
17,422,000
10,926
Dunmore East
12,814,000
8,518
Ros a Mhil
9,874,000
4,230
Howth
9,657,000
3,362
Union Hall
7,722,000
3,000
Greencastle
6,355,000
3,337
Clogherhead
4,767,000
1,335
Duncannon / St. Helens
4,652,000
2,195
Ballycotton
3,402,000
1,171
Ringaskiddy
3,105,000
7,896
Rosslare
2,743,000
1,523
Kinsale
2,462,000
1,293
Baltimore
2,227,000
2,697
Skerries
2,133
1,065
Wicklow
1,746
1,835
Bannow
1,730
824
Waterford
1,619
426
Source: The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (‘SFPA’), Ireland
Pelagic Species
In 2010, total landings of pelagic species (e.g. Mackerel, Herring, Horse Mackerel
and Blue Whiting) into Irish ports amounted to 164,517 tonnes with a value of
€60,880,274.
Nationality & Weight: The majority of pelagic tonnage landed by foreign
vessels in Ireland was from Norwegian vessels (53,016 tonnes). Other
nationalities landed pelagic species as follows: Netherlands (3,399 tonnes),
Greenland (2,723 tonnes), UK (2,203 tonnes), Denmark (193 tonnes), Spain
(98 tonnes), France (11 tonnes) and Belgium (0.2 tonnes).
Nationality & Value: The values of pelagics landed by these nationalities in
Ireland (from highest to lowest) were: Norway (€10,603,120), Netherlands
(€1,244,043), United Kingdom (€861,571), Greenland (€544,516), Spain
(€232,507), Denmark (€57,894), France (€8,808) and Belgium (€190).
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Foreign vessels landings totalled 61,642 tonnes (37%) of the weight and
€13,552,648 (22%) of the value of pelagic species landed in Ireland.
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Irish vessels’ landings of pelagic species into Ireland accounted for 102,875 tonnes
(63%) of total Pelagic Landings in Ireland representing €47,327,625 (78%) of the
total value of these landings in 2010.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Demersal Species
In 2010, landings of Demersal species were 40,867 tonnes with a value of
€79,284,793.
Irish vessels’ landings accounted for 58% of this tonnage (23,665 tonnes)
representing 60% of the overall value of demersal species landed into Irish Ports
(€47,474,967).
Table 4: The 10 Most Commercially Significant Demersal Species Landed by Irish
Vessels in Ireland
Rank
Species
Tonnes
€ 000's
€ / Tonne
1 Monk/Anglerfish
4,083
12,726
3,117
2 Megrim
2,611
6,227
2,385
3 Whiting
4,522
5,591
1,237
4 Haddock
3,469
4,717
1,360
5 Hake
2,003
3,708
1,851
6 Cod
1,252
2,852
2,278
7 Sole
202
1,965
9,719
8 Pollock
955
1,516
1,587
9 Turbot
160
1,336
8,378
10 Saithe
808
815
1,009
Source: The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (‘SFPA’), Ireland
Price: This represents an average value of €3,292 per tonne for these 10 demersal
species landed by Irish vessels in Ireland.
Table 5: The 10 Most Commercially Significant Species Landed by Foreign Vessels in
Ireland
Tonnes
€
€ / tonne
1 Hake
8,234 11,803,000
1,433
2 Monk/Anglerfish
4,061 11,140,000
2,743
3 Megrim
2,332
5,039,000
2,161
4 Haddock
616
827,000
1,342
5 Ling
676
787,000
1,164
6 John Dory
108
455,000
4,193
7 Witch
223
287,000
1,288
8 Lemon Sole
103
237,000
2,295
9 Sole
19
183,000
9,594
10 Turbot
25
180,000
7,221
Source: The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (‘SFPA’), Ireland
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Species
8
Rank
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Price: This gives an average value of €3,343 per tonne for these demersal species
landed by foreign vessels in Ireland in 2010.
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Foreign vessels: landings of demersal species accounted for 17,202 tonnes (42%) of
the total tonnage of demersal species landed in Ireland and €31,809,826 (40%) of
the value of these landings.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
- Consumer Preference Trends
As of recent research conducted in 2012, Irish consumer trends mirror those
currently seen globally.
These can be seen in five distinct areas: ‘Fluid Lives’; ‘Simple Pleasures’;
‘Responsible Living’; ‘Quest for Health & Wellness’; ‘Consumers in Control’;
and ‘Keeping it Real’.
Table 6: Understanding Irish Consumer Behavior
Fluid Lives
Irish consumers increasingly have more free time at home to prepare meals.

65 % of consumers cook meals from scratch at least a few times a week. This has increased 16 % in the
year to the end of 2012.
 35 % of consumers explain that they use convenience meals less often compared to 12 months ago, this
figure increased by 5 % from 2009.
Simple Pleasures
Irish consumers increasingly make use of their free time by trying new foods, improving their cooking skills and
using digital media to do so.


46 % of consumers regularly look up recipes online to give them ideas and new flavours / meals.
35 % of consumers have downloaded a recipe from the internet, with 18 % having downloaded a mobile
phone based food application.
Responsible Living
Irish consumers are conscious of environmental issues and these can affect their purchasing behaviour.


44 % of consumers do not believe the claims made by environmentally friendly products, although 55 %
state that they prefer to buy from companies that are aware of the impact of environmental issues.
65 % of consumers are aware of the term ‘Carbon Footprint’ although 47 % of consumers have not heard
of the term ‘Food Miles’.
Quest for Health & Wellness
Irish consumers are managing their diet, by, for example, increasing their intake of fruit and vegetables.

56 % agree that if they purchase something that was not on sale, they feel like they have overpaid.
43 % of consumers agree with the statement that “supermarket deals always come with a catch”.
Keeping it Real
Irish consumers are moving back to basics with regards to cooking and purchasing items that they may not really
need.


51 % of consumers buy “local food” at least one or more times a week.
66 % of Irish consumers are more likely to spend the time researching a product before making a
purchase.
Source: Irish Food Board, (‘Bord Bia’), Understanding Irish Consumer Behaviour, June 2012
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

UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
92 % of consumers try to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, however only 11 % on average eat more than
5 pieces of fruit and vegetables a day.
 62 % of consumers have made it a top priority to live a healthy lifestyle.
Consumers in Control
Irish consumers are maintaining control of their finances by planning their shopping and cooking to achieve
value.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
- Retail Sales Trends
Headline Figures
As of the year ending May 2012, the total fish sales in Ireland increased by 8 %, driven in
part by increased purchase frequency, which increased by 2 %.
As such, as of writing, fish is now the third largest food consumed among the ‘protein
market’, ahead of lamb and pork.
Total Fish Market Sales
Figure 1: Year-on-Year Total Fish Sales in the Irish Retail Market to May 2012
Total Fish Sales
+8%
Fresh Fish Sales
Frozen Fish Sales
+ 7.8 %
+ 8.3 %
Prepacked Fresh Fish
Sales
+ 5.2 %
Ready-to-Eat Fresh Fish
Sales
- 12.9 %
Source: Irish Food Board, (‘Bord Bia’), Irish Seafood Retail Sales, May 2012
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
+ 16 %
+ 13 %
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Raw Fresh Fish Sales
Loose Fresh Fish Sales
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Total Fresh Fish Sales
Figure 2: Fresh Fish Sales in the Irish Retail Market to the three months ending the
13th May 20121
Total Fresh Fish Sales
€29,185,000
+ 7.8%
Volume of Sales
Average Price
2,368,000 kg
+ 8.9%
€12.33 / kg
- 1.0%
Volume per Buyer
Buyers
2.21 kg
+ 7.4%
1,070,000
+ 1.4%
Frequency
Volume per Trip
Penetration
Total Households
5.1 times/month
+ 11.8%
0.44 kg
- 4.0 %
65.5%
+ 1.4%
1,633,000
+ 0.1%
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Source: Irish Food Board, (‘Bord Bia’), Irish Seafood Retail Sales, May 2012
In this figure and the following, the time reference period referred to is the most recent available.
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Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Total Frozen Fish Sales
Figure 3: Frozen Fish Sales in the Irish Retail Market to the Three Months Ending the
13th May 2012
Total Frozen Fish
Sales
Average Price
2,359,000 kg
+ 16.7%
€8.29/ kg
- 7.2%
Volume per Buyer
Buyers
2.10 kg
+ 13.5%
1,124,000
+ 2.8%
Frequency
Volume per Trip
Penetration
Total Households
3.9 times/month
+ 10.4%
0.54 kg
-2.8 %
68.8%
+ 2.7%
1,633,000
+ 0.1%
Source: Irish Food Board, (‘Bord Bia’), Irish Seafood Retail Sales, May 2012
13
Volume of Sales
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
€19,553,000
+ 8.3%
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
- International Trade Trends
Table 7: UK Share & Export Opportunities
Germany
Egypt
Spain
France
UK
Italy
Japan
Nigeria
Netherlands
Russia
Other Countries
Seafood Imports to
IRE
% of
€
Total
Imports
14,532,000
7.7
318,000
0.2
15,434,000
8.1
100,583,000
53.1
620,000
0.3
33,000
0.0
0
0.0
4,801,000
2.5
6,000
0.0
53,058,000
28.0
Seafood Exports from
IRE
% of
€
Total
Exports
27,145,000
6.5
8,060,000
1.9
60,708,000
14.6
119,948,000
28.8
37,022,000
8.9
22,031,000
5.3
7,871,000
1.9
24,815,000
6.0
15,456,000
3.7
20,126,000
4.8
73,499,000
17.6
EU Countries Only
157,263,000
329,000,648
Country
83.0
79.0
Total
189,383,000
100
416,682,000
100
Source: Irish Central Statistics Office, Trade Statistics Yearbook 2011.
Strong price increases for all species;

Increased demand for Irish organic salmon;

Diversification of shell fish exports;

Challenging market environment for mussels;

Strong oyster prices, but volumes well back; and

Pelagic volumes lower due to quota restrictions and price resistance.
Irish Food Board (‘Bord Bia’), Export Performance & Prospects: Irish Food, Drink & Horticulture 2011 / 12
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
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Reporting on Irish seafood’s export performance, the Irish food board’s most
recent annual report observed the following trends for 20112:
Part Four: Doing Business Profile
- Supermarket Retailers
Table 8: Supermarket Retailers in Ireland
Overall
Market Share
Address
Phone
Website
Share of
Overall
Market of...
Buying
Practices
Other
Information
Tesco
Dunnes Stores
Supervalu
Lidl
Superquinn
Aldi
28.4%
22.4%
19.8%
6.4%
5.5%
5.2%
Gresham House,
Marine Road,
Dun Laoghaire,
County Dublin.
46-50 South Great
George’s Street,
Dublin 2.
(‘Musgrave Goup’),
Musgrave House,
Ballycurreen,
Airport Road,
County Cork.
Great Connell Road,
Newbridge,
County Kildare.
(‘Musgrave Goup’),
Musgrave House,
Ballycurreen,
Airport Road,
County Cork.
Newbridge Road,
Naas,
County Kildare.
00353 (0)1 280 8441
00353 (0)1 475 1111
00353 (0)21 452 2100
00353 (0)45 440 400
00353 (0)21 452 2100
00353 (0)45 846 300
www.tesco.ie
www.dunnesstores.com
www.supervalu.ie
www.lidl.ie
www.superquinn.ie
www.aldi.ie
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
Frozen
Only
Fresh
Prepacked
28.3%
25.6%
23.7%
22.1%
17.6%
19.3%
8.4%
6.4%
3.9%
9.1%
8.4%
6.4%
Buy direct
Buy direct
Buy direct
Buy direct
Fresh seafood
counters in some
larger stores. Mainly
frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales.
Fresh seafood counters
in some larger stores.
Mainly frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales.
Fresh seafood counters
in some larger stores.
Mainly frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales.
Frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales only.
Buy direct
Fresh seafood counters
in some larger stores.
Mainly frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales.
Buy direct
Frozen and / or
prepacked seafood
sales only.
Source: Irish Food Board, (‘Bord Bia’), Irish Seafood Retail Sales, May 2012
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
- Labelling of fish and fishery products
All Food - General Legislation
Under general labelling legislation, the following must appear on the label:










Name under which the product is sold *;
List of ingredients;
Quantity of certain ingredients;
Net quantity *;
Date of minimum durability *;
Any special storage instructions or conditions of use;
Name or business name and address of the manufacturer or packager,
or of a seller within the European Union;
Place of origin of the foodstuff, if its absence might mislead the
consumer to a material degree;
Instructions for use, where necessary;
Beverages with more than 1.2% alcohol by volume must declare their
actual alcoholic strength *.
* These details must appear in the same field of vision
Seafood – EU Legislation
 Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 (OJ L17, p22, 21.01.2000) of the 17th of
December 1999 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and
aquaculture products.
 Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001 (OJ L278, p6, 23/10/2001) of the
22nd October 2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council
Regulation (EC) 104/2000 as regards informing consumers about fishery and
aquaculture products.
Seafood – National Legislation
Regulations, 2003 (S.I. No.320 of 2003)
The purpose of S.I. 320 of 2003 is to give effect to Article 4 of Council Regulation
(EC) 104/2000 and to Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001, which lay down the
conditions for informing consumers about fishery and aquaculture products. The
Regulations set out specific information which must be included on the label of
fish, fishery products and aquaculture products offered for retail sale to the final
consumer. Details such as the common or commercial name, the production
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
 European Communities (Labelling of Fishery and Aquaculture Products)
16
method and the catch area must be indicated. A list of the commercial
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
designations of fish and fishery products, which may be sold in Ireland, is included
in a Schedule to S.I. 320 of 20033.
The Regulations apply to live fish, fresh, chilled or frozen fish, fillets of fish,
smoked fish, salted and dried fishery products, as well as live or raw shellfish,
such as oysters or mussels, raw or cooked whole prawns and shrimps. Processed
products such as breaded fillets or ready-to-eat dishes are not covered by the
Regulations. Fish purchased directly from a fisherman or fish farmer in small
quantities, up to a value of €20, are not subject to the Regulations.
At retail level, the products that fall within the Regulations must indicate on the
label:

The commercial designation of the species of fish;

The production method, whether cultivated/farmed or caught at sea or
freshwater; and

The catch area.
The catch area must consist of the following:
In the case of products caught at sea, a reference to one of the areas mentioned in
the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001:

In the case of products caught in freshwater, a reference to the Member
State or third country of origin of the product;

In the case of farmed products, a reference to the Member State or third
country in which the product undergoes the final development stage.
Where the product is farmed in more than one Member State or third
country, the various Member States or third countries in which it is farmed
The FSAI have published ‘Guidance Note No. 7 on The Labeling of Fish and
Aquaculture Products, according to the European Communities (Labeling of
Fishery and Aquaculture Products) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 320 of 2003) Revision 1’,
which provides further details on the Regulations on the labeling of fishery and
aquaculture products.
This official list has been included as an additional document on the OMIS system.
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
can be indicated.
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Part Five: Further Infrmation
- Useful Websites
General
Many Government funded bodies, regularly submit tenders, including for food
supply contracts, onto the centralised Government procurement website. This
website can be accessed at www.etenders.gov.ie.
A further Government website, www.procurement.ie, also contains tenders, as
well as a list of certain upcoming, as of yet unpublished, opportunities.
For general information on Ireland, the publically funded Citizens’ Information
Agency, www.citizensinformation.ie, together with the Irish Government’s
gateway website, www.gov.ie, are useful starting points.
Sector Specific
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority
www.sfpa.ie
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority is an Irish statuary body charged with the
effective and fair regulation of the Sea-Fishing and Seafood Sectors.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara
www.bim.ie
An official agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara helps to develop the Irish Seafood Industry
by providing technical expertise, business support, funding and training, together
with promoting responsible environmental practice.
The Marine Institute
It seeks to assess and realise the economic potential of Ireland's 220 million acre
marine resource; promote the sustainable development of marine industry through
strategic funding programmes and essential scientific services; and safeguard
Ireland’s marine environment through research and environmental monitoring.
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The Marine Institute is the Irish national agency responsible for Marine Research,
Technology Development and Innovation (RTDI).
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
www.marine.ie
Sea Fish Industry Authority - OMIS IRE 0739
Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board
www.bordbia.ie
An official agency, Bord Bia exists to market Irish food both in Ireland and
overseas. This includes seafood.
The Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
www.agriculture.gov.ie
A Government department, it is similar in purpose and scope to the Department
for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK.
Gavin Davidson
Trade Advisor
|UK Trade & Investment|
British Embassy, 29 Merrion Road, Dublin 4, Ireland.
19
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Phone: 00353 (0)1 205 3759
E-mail: gavin.davidson@fco.gov.uk
Websites: www.britishembassy.ie , www.ukti.gov.uk
Appendix – Ireland: An Overview
A) Key Economic Indicators
-
GDP Real Growth Rate (in
2007
2008
UK
3.5
-1.1
Ireland
5.2
-3.0
%)
2009
-4.4
-7.0
2010
2.1
-0.4
2011
2012 (f) 2013 (f)
0.7
0.6
1.5
0.7
0.5
2.3
Source: Eurostat Online Database
Gross domestic product (‘GDP’) is a measure of the economic activity, defined as the value of all goods and services
produced less the value of any goods or services used in their creation.
-
HICP Inflation Rate (in %)
2007
2008
2009
UK
2.3
3.6
2.2
Ireland
2.9
3.1
-1.7
2010
3.3
-1.6
2011
4.5
1.2
2012 (f)
2.7
0.8
2013 (f)
1.3
0.9
Source: Eurostat Online Database
Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (‘HICP’) are designed for international comparisons of consumer price
inflation. Forecast figures for 2012 and 2013 are taken from the OCED Economic Outlook, November 2011.
-
GDP per Capita in PPS
2007
UK
116
Ireland
148
2008
112
133
2009
111
128
2010
112
128
Source: Eurostat Online Database
Purchasing Power Standards (‘PPS’) is an artificial common currency unit that exists for comparative purposes. As it
is a common currency that eliminates the differences in price levels between countries, it allows meaningful volume
comparisons of GDP between countries. If the index of a country is higher than the European Union’s 27 member
state average of 100, this country's level of GDP per head is higher than the EU average and vice versa.
Typical Hourly Gross Adult Wage in 2011
Junior Clerical/Admin
Senior Clerical
Senior Secretarial
Technician – Entry level
Technician – Senior
level
Supervisor
Junior Accountant
Ireland
UK
In Euros
15.6
12.3
28.69
21.42
24.14
18.26
15.69
12.3
20.32
28.69
24.14
Senior Accountant
Middle Manager
Senior Manager
Dept. Head
Ireland
UK
In Euros
37.29
29.23
40.85
32.95
49.03
41.87
58.84
53.19
15.56
General Branch Manager
124.36
105.75
Managing Director
21.42
(subsidiary)
219.04
165.47
18.26
Director
93.71
84.54
Source: Federation of European Employers, May 2011
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
-
20
Strictly speaking, the above figures are typical hourly gross labour costs and not gross wages. However, seen as a
proxy, it offers a useful relative guide to income levels between Irish and UK workers.
B) Geography
- Map of the Island of Ireland – Counties and Provinces
The Island of Ireland is made up of two parts. Northern Ireland, which is part of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain, comprises 6 counties in the north east of the Island, its
city being Dublin.
The counties of both jurisdictions make up 4 provinces, as indicted above with thick black
lines. The north of the Island, which includes the 6 counties of Northern Ireland, is named
Ulster. The area to the east of the Island is Leinster, the area to the south west is
Munster, and the remaining area to the west of the Island is Connaught.
In the Republic of Ireland, aside from the Capital and biggest city, Dublin, other main
include
Cork,
Galway,
Waterford
and
Limerick.
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cities
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
capital city is Belfast. The Republic of Ireland comprises 26 counties with the capital
C) Population
As of the most recent Irish Government Census in April 2011:
-
Total Population
-
Population Facts
Where do they live?
62 % of the population lived in a total of 197 urban areas. The remaining 36 % lived in
rural areas.
These include the main cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Dublin, in
particular, accounted for 39 % of all those living in urban areas.
Leinster, the eastern province and home to the capital city, Dublin, has over half of all
persons, 54.6 %, enumerated there.
period, the average number of yearly deaths was 28,000.
What is the Average Age?
The average age, one of the lowest in Europe, stands at 36 years.
How many UK nationals live in Ireland?
As of April 2011, preliminary results indicate there to be 112,259 UK nationals in
the Republic of Ireland
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From 2002 to 2011, the average number of yearly births was 67,000. In the same
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
How many births and deaths are there?
C) Population
-
Age and Gender Pyramid
-
Estimated Future Availability of Workforce as a %age of the Population under 25
United Kingdom
Ireland
2012
2015
29.3
33.6
29.8
33.8
Source: World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
-
Estimated Future Median Age of the Population
2015
2020
United Kingdom
40.3
40.4
Ireland
34.2
37.6
Population by Age Group and Region
Leinster
0 to 14 535,886
15 to 24 321,667
25 to 44 830,742
45 to 64 547,831
65 to 268,688
Ulster
Munster Connaught
(part of)
262,966
113,067
67,671
155,254
67,355
35,974
374,701
159,784
84,913
295,992
130,608
68,448
157,175
71,733
37,797
Source: CSO Database, Census 2011
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Source: World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
D) Trade
- Overview of UK Exports to Ireland by Broad Merchandise Sector in 2010
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
D) Trade
Top UK Exports to Ireland by Detailed Merchandise Sector in 2010
GBP £
Petroleum Products & Related Materials
2,119,207,932
Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles
1,331,540,418
Gas, Natural & Manufactured
857,367,246
Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Products
853,620,111
Articles Of Apparel & Clothing Accessories
733,367,086
Essential Oils & Perfume Materials; Toilet Preps Etc.
666,612,794
Electrical Machinery, Appliances & Electrical Parts There of
529,729,198
Road Vehicles (Including Air Cushion Vehicles)
527,615,467
Cereals & Cereal Preparations
515,651,986
Telecommunications, Sound Recording & Reproducing
Appliances
507,651,005
Paper, Paperboard & Manufactures Thereof
486,011,052
Office Machines & Other Machines
466,479,827
Beverages
426,243,535
Meat & Meat Preparations
399,031,514
Manufactures Of Metal Etc.
397,120,946
Dairy Products & Birds' Eggs
347,181,224
General Industrial Machinery & Equipment & Machine Parts
326,488,082
Vegetables & Fruit
312,634,107
Source: HMRC Trade Information Database
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
UK Exports to Ireland by Detailed Merchandise Sector
25
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E) Public Holidays
There are nine public holidays in Ireland each year. Public holidays may
commemorate a special day or other event, for example, St Patrick's Day or
Christmas Day.
On a public holiday, sometimes called a bank holiday, most businesses and
schools close. Other services, for example, public transport still operate, but
often with restricted schedules.
The list of public holidays each year is as follows:







New Year's Day (1 January)
St. Patrick's Day (17 March)
Easter Monday (varies year to year)
First Monday in May, June, August
Last Monday in October
Christmas Day (25 December)
St. Stephen's Day (26 December)
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UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Good Friday is not a public holiday. However, the sale of alcohol is banned, bar
certain limited exceptions in airports, trains, ships, hotels and others.
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
F) Transport Infrastructure
27
Source: Irish National Roads Authority
G) Business Costs
-
Industrial Oil, Gas and Electricity Prices
United Kingdom
Ireland
Heavy Fuel Oil
Natural Gas
Electricity
US $ per Tonne
885.21
US $ per 10 kcal GCV
303.30
431.22
US $ per kWh
0.121
0.137
Source: IEA Key World Energy Statistics
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Office Prices
Sq. Ft. / Annum
Sq. Ft. / Annum
Dublin (City Centre)
€11 to €49
London (West End)
€ 143.17
Dublin (Suburbs)
€8 to €18
London (City Centre)
€ 92.10
Cork
€10 to €19
Galway
€10 to €16
Limerick
€10 to €14
Waterford
€10 to €18
Source: IDA Ireland (06/11) and CB Richard Ellis Global Market Rents Report (11/10)
Looking at only prime office spaces globally, London (West End), London (City Centre), Edinburgh and Manchester ranked
number 1, 6, 17 and 22 respectively out of 45 cities. Dublin ranked number 27.
International Road Freight Costs,Transit Times and Weekly Flight Connections
Ireland
Port of Origin
Dublin
Road Freight
Destination
London
Destination Port
London
Average Cost per Trailer (€)
1,275
Average Time in Hours
24 to 48
Airport of Origin
Destination Airport
Number of Flights Weekly
Cork
London / (Other UK)
63 / (63)
Dublin
London / (Other UK)
281 / (350)
Shannon
London / (Other UK)
41 / (31)
Source: Irish International Freight Association and the Irish Airport Authorities
UK Trade & Investment, Dublin
Road Freight Start
28
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