The Northern Ireland Exporters Association is being launched in Belfast today.

The Association is being launched to strengthen links between Ireland and Northern Ireland so that all sectors - public and private - can work together at a pragmatic level to add value that will benefit exporters north and south.

Joe Lynch, President of the Irish Exporters Association said the foundation of the Northern Ireland Exporters Association will bring together all companies trading internationally from the island of Ireland.

He added: "The coming together of exporting companies, large and small, will facilitate the sharing of values, expertise and contacts to everyone's benefit.

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"The combined strength of exporters from the entire island of Ireland will also go some way in influencing the strategic priorities of governments - north and south - with the primary objective of ensuring a competitive base from which to trade."

Robert Hamilton, former chairman of the Institute of Export in Northern Ireland, will be the first director of the Northern Ireland Exporters Association.

Speaking on Monday, ahead of the launch, he said: "It was felt that in Northern Ireland that if there was an all-exporter body who could form a consensus to the government in Belfast then it would be beneficial for both the north and south. Both governments can't run along the same policies, but at least the approach to Europe would be a bit more unified.

"We hope to emulate the success of the Republic of Ireland - because what they do is somewhat unique. The exporters in Northern Ireland are represented by sector, so at the minute you don't get a common ground.

"There are roughly 800 companies involved in exporting in Northern Ireland, but the main income in the country would come from the top twenty of those, such as Bombardier and Harland and Woolf."

(KMcA)