COMMENT: Overseas opportunities have become a serious business and trade missions abroad can raise the profile of Irish firms, writes Mark Hennessy in Mexico City.

Trade missions abroad led by Irish political leaders have long had a junketeering reputation, although the reality in today's globalised economy is much more mundane and much tougher work.

Representatives from nearly 30 Irish companies this week accompanied the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to Mexico - just eight years after the first such foray was led by Albert Reynolds during his time as Taoiseach.

The figures, perhaps, speak louder than words. "Anybody with any doubts about the value of trade missions should just look at the money. Ireland now exports $600 million (€568 million) annually to Mexico," according to Irish businessman Mr Des Mullarkey.

Based in Mexico for 14 years, first with Smurfit and now with Vision Consulting, Mr Mullarkey's experience of the impact of visits by Irish politicians cannot be easily dismissed.

"Any time spent by an Irish politician here is time well spent. It raises the profile of Ireland. It gives Irish companies the chance to bring in key contacts for receptions hosted in their honour," he said.

In years gone by, Irish trade delegations had a reputation - often far from undeserved - of being "great craic" with late sessions in the hotel bar, although with little visible return on the way home.

However, standards have moved up several gears.

"Anybody travelling on these trips is devoting five days of their time," said Mr Dan Flinter, the chief executive of Enterprise Ireland.

The demand for new export opportunities is continually increasing, as Mr Ahern emphasised following his meeting with the Mexican President, Mr Vincente Fox on Tuesday.

"Ireland is a relatively small country but it is the second-most trade-orientated country in the world. Indeed, it has been ranked as the world's most globalised economy by one group of experts, AT Kearney," he declared.

Today, Enterprise Ireland, tasked with developing markets abroad for Irish-owned companies, has offices throughout the European Union, the United States, Latin American and the Asia-Pacific region.

Each year Enterprise Ireland spends €10 million on such trade delegations - €4 million of which is contributed by the companies - and Mr Flinter has little doubt of their long-term influence.

Companies also pay their own travel and accommodation bills.

"If you look at the amount of money that we spend in comparison with the amounts spent by the United Kingdom, France, Germany and others, you will see that it is relatively small. But we have to punch above our weight.

"We have seen the benefits over the last three years of the official visit by the Taoiseach to China in 1998. It created a high level of contacts in the government system there. It gave access to Irish companies. It raised the profile of the country. "And remember, we would not be as well known there as we would be in the United States, in the United Kingdom, or wherever," Mr Flinter told The Irish Times.

Increasingly professional, Irish companies are not shy in making demands upon Enterprise Ireland. "This is a very serious commitment by them. There is a huge amount of preparatory work involved."

Often the Irish companies travelling can be household names only in their own neighbourhoods, as can be judged by a trade delegation to the United States by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Joe Walsh.

Then, the firms included Carrickmacross-based Barford Meats, Shalvey Poultry from Co Cavan and Walsh Family Foods from Dublin, alongside larger domestic players such as Carbery Milk Products, from Ballineen, Co Cork.

However, the fruits of such trips can take months, if not years, to ripen.

Meetings can fail to produce results. The enthusiasm of potential buyers can wane. Disappointments are part and parcel of the package.

Ms Gina Quinn, the chief executive of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, which brought five companies to Mexico in parallel with the Enterprise Ireland mission, emphasised that people must be prepared for the long haul.

"This is about making contacts, about getting more information, about what it is like to operate in this country and to try and encourage reciprocal visits to Ireland by Mexican businesspeople," Ms Quinn told The Irish Times.

She believes that companies must clearly identify their targets before they leave home.

"They need to know exactly what they want to get out of it so that the right meetings can be set up," she declared.

Besides anything else, trade missions are about getting foreign business contacts to come to Ireland.

"The chances of securing a contract are hugely improved if you succeed in bringing their people to Ireland," said Mr Flinter.

Pointing to the arrival shortly of 500 international buyers for a major fair organised by the National Crafts Council, he said: "If they do that, they have crossed a huge psychological threshold."

Mark Hennessy is The Irish Times political reporter