Cowen 'Means Business' On Paddy's Day

Although a celebration of the Irish patron saint, the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen visit to the United States which starts today is to have a strong economic dimension.

In between the green beer and shamrocks, a trade mission to Silicon Valley and Washington DC involving more than 75 Irish companies, and meetings with leading US companies are planned.

It will culminate in summit talks with President Barack Obama in the White House on St Patrick's Day.

"The over-riding priority for the Government over the St Patrick's Day period is to send a strong positive message about Ireland's economic future and our plan for economic recovery.

"As a small trading nation, Ireland has unparalleled influence in the United States and across the globe.

"We will be telling our friends and partners all over the world that we are taking action to confront our economic problems and to build a sustainable economic future for our people.

"We have millions of friends in the United States, in the Irish-American community and beyond," he said.

"It is important to recognise that friendship, and all that America has done to help Ireland over the years, in supporting the cause of peace as well as of economic progress," the Irish leader continued.

"In Chicago, in Silicon Valley and in Washington DC, I will be meeting with leading figures from the world of politics, business, science, education, culture and the media - as well as members of the Global Irish Network based in the US.

"My aim is to listen and learn from our friends, as well as to assure them that Ireland is taking the necessary action to bring about economic recovery."

He said that the key elements of the programme are the summit meeting and the traditional presentation of the shamrock to President Barack Obama; the St Patrick's Day lunch on Capitol Hill, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms Nancy Pelosi; meetings with Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; engagements with political leaders from the Northern Ireland Executive, including First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and SDLP Leader Margaret Ritchie and meetings with Irish community representatives in the Mid-West, California and Washington, as well as political leaders including Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois and Mayor Richard M Daley of Chicago.

He said that business and trade promotion events in Chicago, Silicon Valley and Washington DC; these will involve client companies of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, including over 75 Irish companies who are doing business in the US.

A keynote address to the Ireland Fund Dinner in Washington DC, where the honoree will be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is taking place and there's a meeting in Washington DC of US-based members of the Global Irish Network, which was established following the Global Irish Forum last year.

(BMcC/GK)