| ST PATRICKS DAY 2006- A UNIQUE EVENT IN THE GLOBAL CALENDAR
St. Patrick’s Day is a unique event in the global calendar. On 17 March,
the world’s attention turns to Ireland and all things Irish.
Find out where all the Ministers are heading for Saint Patrick's Day:
United States |
Canada | Britain |
Austria | Belgium |
France | Italy |
Sweden & Norway | Czech
Republic | Hungary | Russia |
China | Japan,
Malaysia & Thailand | Australia |
New Zealand
The Taoiseach, accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern
TD, will travel to Washington to meet with President Bush, key congressional
leaders, and members of the business community. He will also address the American
Ireland Fund Annual Dinner. Prior to arriving in Washington, the Taoiseach will
travel to San Jose, California, where he will attend the Spirit of Ireland awards
dinner and meet with local business leaders.
In the light of the Government’s Asia Strategy and the increasingly important
markets of the Asia-Pacific region, Ministers will also travel to China, Japan,
Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia.
St. Patrick’s Day is equally an important occasion for enhancing our
links with Irish communities abroad. The Government greatly values the opportunity
to express our appreciation for the important work of Irish community and friendship
groups, and attendance at their community events will form an integral part
of Ministerial programmes during the period. Visits to the US will, of course,
be used to highlight the particular priority which the Government attaches to
the issue of the Irish undocumented.
UNITED STATES
- Taoiseach - San Jose and Washington
- Minister Dermot Ahern - Dallas and Washington
- Minister Seamus Brennan – Boston
- Minister Martin Cullen - New York
- Minister Noel Dempsey – Seattle
- MoS Michael Ahern - Chicago
- MoS Noel Ahern – Savannah
- MoS Pat the Cope Gallagher - Philadelphia and New Orleans
- Mos Batt O’Keefe – San Francisco
- MoS Tom Parlon - St Louis and Atlanta
·
In addition to the traditional focus on the Irish community and US
support for the peace process, trade and tourism promotion will
continue to be a key feature of St. Patrick’s Day Ministerial visits to
the US. Government representation at Patrick’s Day Celebrations
in cities throughout the United States reflects the strength and
importance of the Irish-American relationship in all aspects of
cultural, political and business life. The St. Patrick’s Day
period will also be used to highlight the particular priority that the
Government attaches to the situation of the Irish undocumented. ·
The United States is Ireland’s largest source of inward investment and
second largest trading partner next to Britain. The result of US
inward investment in Ireland has been the creation of an
export-oriented and high-skilled industry sector, concentrated in high
technology manufacturing and in internationally traded services. The
marketing of Ireland as a ‘Knowledge Economy’ will be a feature of many
business orientated St. Patrick’s Day events. · The US accounted
for 12% of total visitors to the island of Ireland and 20% of total
revenue in 2004, while the number of visits by Irish citizens to the
United States in 2005 is estimated at more than 500,000, putting
Ireland among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of US visitor
numbers.
- Minister Ahern will represent the Government at events
promoting Ireland in Dallas, Texas, before travelling to Washington with the
Taoiseach for the traditional ceremonies in the White House and on Capitol
Hill. While in Dallas, Minister Ahern will meet with senior business
representatives and address a lunch hosted by the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
The Minister will also participate in the Downtown Dallas St. Patrick’s Day
Parade and a breakfast hosted by the American Ireland Fund.
- Minister Brennan will represent the Government in Boston
at a number of engagements marking St. Patrick’s Day. The Minister’s itinerary
includes an address focusing on Ireland’s Knowledge Economy to the Irish Association
at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an address at a breakfast marking
the expansion of the operations of the Irish software company, Candidate Manager.
He will speak at an Irish American Partnership Breakfast and will address
an Ireland Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Brunch. Minister Brennan
will also meeting Irish Immigration Organisations and support groups and will
attending the formal opening of a major new exhibition at the JFK Library
on President Kennedy’s historic visit to Ireland in June 1963.
- Minister Cullen Minister Cullen will represent the Government
at the traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in New York including the
Parade on Fifth Avenue and events hosted by the Mayor and Governor of New
York. The Minister will open the second phase of the New York Irish
Centre in Long Island City. He will participate in the annual Ireland-US
Council Lunch, the Co-operation Ireland Dinner and the Top 100 Irish Americans
Awards. Minister Cullen will also represent the Government at the Jerry
McCabe Fellowship Breakfast at John Jay College. In addition, he will
attend a Shannon Airport/West of Ireland Trade and Tourism Breakfast at the
Irish Consulate.
- Minister Dempsey will hold a series of meetings with business
and political leaders in Seattle and will meet with the Seattle Irish Immigration
Support Group. The Minister will attend St. Patrick’s Day events including
the Friends of St. Patrick Dinner, St. Patrick’s Day Mass and Parade.
- Minister of State Michael Ahern will attend the St. Patrick’s
Day celebrations in Chicago on behalf of the Government. As well as
participating in the Chicago Downtown Parade and Southside Parade, the Minister
will address: the Irish American Partnership Breakfast, Economic Lunch hosted
by the Chicago World Trade Centre and the Irish Fellowship Club Annual St.
Patrick’s Day Dinner. The Minister will also visit the Chicago Irish
Immigrant Support Centre and the Irish American Centre. Minister Ahern
will also meet with Mayor Daly of Chicago and will officially open the new
US headquarters of Precision Software.
- Minister of State Noel Ahern’s programme in Savannah includes
attendance at a reception hosted by CIE Tours International for US clients.
The Minister will meet senior figures in the Savannah business community and
also visit the Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah Campus. The Minister
will participate in a traditional wreath laying ceremony and attend the St.
Patrick’s Day Parade and the Hibernian Society Annual Dinner.
- Minister of State Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher will represent
the Government at the Irish community’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in
both Philadelphia and New Orleans. The Minister’s programme in Philadelphia
includes a reception hosted by the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Centre,
a Tourism Ireland Lunch and a Dinner with members of the Irish American Business
and Chamber Network. The Minister’s visit to New Orleans is an important
show of support for the city’s resilient Irish community. In spite of
the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade
and the 130th Annual Hibernian Ball are scheduled to go ahead.
- Minister of State Batt O’Keefe will attend the St. Patrick’s
Day celebrations in San Francisco on behalf of the Government. The Minister’s
programme includes attendance at the traditional St. Patrick’s Day parade
and Mass as well as a Festival of Irish dance and music. The Minister
will also participate in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner in the United
Irish Cultural Centre and meet with City and State officials on environmental
protection issues.
- Minister of State Tom Parlon will attend the traditional
St Patrick’s Day events in St Louis and Atlanta. His programme in Atlanta
has a particular economic focus and the Minister will participate in an Ireland
Chamber of Commerce (ICCUSA) breakfast as well as an IDA Dinner for current
and potential clients. While in St Louis, the Minister will attend a
variety of community events including the annual parade and will address a
Gala St. Patrick’s Day Dinner.
Canada - MoS Sile de Valera - Minister
of State Sile de Valera will visit Toronto where her programme will
include attendance at a Tourism Ireland lunch for senior travel trade
and media representatives. The promotion of Ireland as a tourist
destination is a key focus of her Ministerial visit as the Canadian
market was one of the fastest growing markets to the island of Ireland
in 2004.
- Canada is a significant trading partner for Ireland,
and is a very important source of investment for Ireland. Ireland
was the fourth largest recipient of all Canadian outward investment in
the period 1999 – 2003. The Minister will meet with key economic
contacts in Toronto to further encourage the strong growth in trade and
investment flows seen over the past decade.
- Ms de Valera will also attend the Grand Marshal’s Ball and traditional St Patrick’s Day events.
BRITAIN
Minister Michael McDowell - London Minister John O’Donoghue - Manchester MoS Seán Power – Birmingham · Britain is Ireland’s largest trading partner. Total trade in 2004 showed a 2.2% increase over 2003. · Ireland now accounts for about 11% of total food and beverage imports into the UK. ·
Britain is home to large Irish communities particularly in the cities
of London, Manchester and Birmingham. Some 800,000 Irish-born
people are resident in Britain, according to 2001 Census figures.
Research indicates there are between 5.5 and 5.9 million second and
third generation Irish people in Britain. · The Government has
made the provision of emigrant services in Britain a priority. The
Department of Foreign Affairs allocated over €7 million last year in
financial support through the Díon fund to voluntary agencies that help
vulnerable Irish people in Britain. The primary emphasis
continues to be the provision of assistance to front-line Irish
community care organisations assisting the more marginalised members of
the community in Britain. · Minister McDowell
will attend the Mayor’s St Patrick’s Dinner in London on 11
March. The Minister will also attend the Council of Irish County
Associations Mass at the London Irish Centre and lead the city’s St
Patrick’s Day Parade. · Minister O’Donoghue
will attend the Council of Irish County Associations Dinner in
Manchester. He will also be present at the traditional St Patrick’s Day
events in the city including Mass at the Irish World Heritage Centre
and St Patrick’s Day Parade. · Minister of State Power will participate in the 11th Annual Birmingham St Patrick’s Day Parade as well as the St. Patrick’s Day Mass.
AUSTRIA - MoS John Browne
- Minister
John Browne will visit Vienna where he will attend a St Patrick’s Day
business lunch organised by Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Embassy.
Austria is a valued trading partner for Ireland. In 2004, total
trade was worth €483 million.
- Almost 300 indigenous Irish
companies are actively exporting to the Austrian market, half of which
are in the industrial sector, a third in software/International
services and the remainder in consumer sectors.
- The Minister
will also officially open an exhibition of Irish Currachs and
participate in an open-air St. Patrick’s Day festival organised by the
Irish Embassy and State Agencies to promote a wide range of Irish
interests.
- The Minister will also attend the St Patrick’s Day Parade and the Ambassador’s St. Patrick’s Day reception.
BELGIUM – MoS Tim O’Malley
·
Minister Tim O’Malley will attend a business lunch for Enterprise
Ireland and IDA clients in the course of his Ministerial visit to
Brussels. Belgium was Ireland’s 3rd largest trading partner in 2004, with total trade valued at €13.2 billion. Irish exports to Belgium were €12.3 billion. · From January-June 2005, Irish food and drink exports to Belgium were worth €40 million. ·
There are strong links between Ireland and Belgium in the education
sector. Minister O’Malley will visit the Louvain Institute for Ireland
in Europe to meet post-graduate students of the UCD Dublin European
Institute. He will also visit Bruges to meet with Irish students at the
College of Europe.
FRANCE– MoS Treacy
- France is Ireland’s fifth largest trading partner, with total annual trade c. €7 billion.
- France is also our third largest export market for indigenous companies and our second largest importer of Irish food and drink.
- Minister
Treacy will visit Paris where he will attend a reception co-hosted by
Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Tourism Ireland. A key focus of the reception
is the marketing of the Connemara region as a tourist destination. In
2004, France was the fourth largest tourist market to the island of
Ireland and accounted for almost 20% of total visits from mainland
Europe.
- The Minister will also attend the Ambassador’s St Patrick’s Day reception.
ITALY - MoS Frank Fahey
- Total
trade between Ireland and Italy for 2004 was valued at €4.9 billion, a
record high for trade between the two countries. Total Irish food
and drink exports to Italy are estimated at €290 million for 2004.
During his visit to Italy, Minister Frank Fahey will address a dinner
hosted by Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland in Milan for
senior trade and tourism representatives to further strengthen trade
links between Ireland and Italy.
- The Minister will also
address a gala dinner supported by Tourism Ireland to market Northern
Ireland as world-class tourist destination. 12% of visitors from
mainland Europe to the island of Ireland are Italian.
- The Minister will also participate in traditional St Patrick’s Day events in Rome and the Vatican.
SWEDEN & NORWAY – MoS Tony Killeen
·
Norway and Sweden are both markets with whom Ireland has developed
relatively strong trading ties in recent years. Minister Tony Killeen
will visit Oslo and Stockholm where he will meet with prominent
business representatives to promote the expansion of trade links. ·
Sweden and Norway are well represented in the technological spheres in
which Ireland is increasingly developing strength – for instance as a
supplier of mobile telecommunications software – and our links are
deepening as time goes on. · The Minister will be a guest of
honour at an Enterprise Ireland reception in Stockholm for senior trade
and tourism representatives. Sweden is Ireland’s 13th largest trading partner. Total trade in 2004 was worth €1.63 billion, a 1.7% increase on 2003. ·
2004 was a record year for tourism to Ireland from Norway. Tourism
Ireland figures suggest a 60% increase to well over 30,000 visitors,
and the numbers continue to grow in the course of 2005. There is also a
particular interest in Sweden for Irish holidays involving golf,
horse-riding and incentive and conference travel. Minister Killeen will
use the opportunity of his visit to Oslo and Stockholm to promote
Ireland as a first-rate tourist destination.
CZECH REPUBLIC – Minister Coughlan
- Minister
Coughlan will visit Prague on 16 - 19 March where she will be the guest
of honour at the Ambassador’s St. Patrick’s Day reception for senior
representatives from the business, trade and tourism and cultural
sectors, and the Irish community.
- The Minister
will also participate in a number of Bord Bia sponsored events to
market Irish products in the growing Czech market, including an
in-store promotion, media presentation and a business lunch for key
Czech agents and distributors.
- Minister Coughlan will be guest
of honour at the Czech-Irish Business Association St. Patrick’s Day
Annual Dinner on Saturday, 18th. On Sunday, she will attend a St.
Patrick’s Day Mass for members of the Irish community.
- In
addition, the Minister will hold bilateral talks with the Czech
Minister for Agriculture on a range of issues including WTO and CAP
policy as well as with local authorities on matters of mutual interest.
- Irish
exports to the Czech Republic grew by over 10% in 2004 and showed a
year-on-year expansion of over 24% in the first half of 2005.
There are already approximately 50 Irish companies operating in the
Czech Republic.
HUNGARY - MoS Brendan Smith
- Ireland’s
trade and economic relations with Hungary continue to flourish.
Bilateral trade between Ireland and Hungary increased by 20% in 2004
compared with 2003. Hungary’s accession to the European Union as
well as its ideal location in the heart of Central Europe offers
Ireland opportunities to further develop economic and commercial
links. In Budapest the Minister of State will meet the Hungarian
Secretary of State for Agriculture and will be:
- guest of honour
at the St Patrick’s Day Reception for 400 key contacts which will be
hosted by the Embassy and Enterprise Ireland;
- guest of honour
at a business lunch for 45 key Irish and Hungarian business leaders
which will be hosted by the recently established Irish-Hungarian
Business Circle;
- Host a Budapest press launch for a major Irish investment in Golf tourism in Western Hungary at Zala Springs
- Guest
of honour at a special concert in the Franz Liszt Academy of Irish and
Hungarian music featuring guest conductor Robert Houlihan with soloists
Liam O’Flynn on Uilleann Pipes, and Hungarian folk singer, Marta
Sebesteyn. The Concert is being supported by Culture Ireland.
Outside Budapest, the Minister of State will visit some major recent Irish investments in Hungary. He will - visit the recently opened Kingspan plant at Újhartyán;
- will open the new passenger terminal at Fly Balaton Airport in Sarmallek (Hungary’s 2nd International Airport) and
- turn the sod at the major golfing / tourist development in Zala County.
RUSSIA - Attorney General Rory Brady
- Irish
involvement in the Russian market has been growing in recent times but
the huge potential of this market has yet to be realised. The positive
growth forecasts for the Russian economy have scarcely any parallels in
the world, making the country an excellent potential destination for
future Irish investment.
- There is a growing market for Irish
food products in Russia. The Attorney General will attend a St
Patrick’s Day reception organised in conjunction with Bord Bia focussed
on the promotion of Irish food products. Russia is one of
Ireland’s largest markets for beef exports.
- The Attorney General will officially open the photographic exhibition “Ireland through Russia Eyes”, and will also attend the St Patrick’s Day exhibition at the Nabokov Museum in St Petersburg.
- He
will also participate in the St Patrick’s Day Parade and Ball in Moscow
and other events including official meetings in Moscow and St.
Petersburg.
ASIA-PACIFIC China, Japan and Malaysia are all priority countries under the Government’s Asia Strategy.
CHINA – MoS Conor Lenihan
- China
is our second largest trading partner in Asia and Minister Lenihan’s
visit will be used to further promote business and trade opportunities.
The Minister will visit Zhongguancun Technology Park in Beijing and
hold meetings with key business and trade representatives in Beijing
and Shanghai.
- The Minister’s programme also includes
development co-operation elements and he will visit an Irish Aid
supported project for the children of migrant workers in Beijing.
- Ireland
has developed significant education links with China with over 3,000
Chinese students in higher education in Ireland. Minister Lenihan
will visit Fudan University where he will co-present the George Bernard
Shaw Prize, following a lecture by Irish author and Booker Prize
winner, John Banville.
- The Minister will officially open
a production of “The Playboy of the Western World”, which has been
co-funded by Culture Ireland. The production is the first major Irish
theatre production in Beijing since the China-Ireland Arts Festival in
2004.
- Minister Lenihan will also address the St. Patrick’s Day Ball in Beijing which is organised by Irish Network China.
JAPAN,MALAYSIA and THAILAND – Minister Dick Roche
- Japanis Ireland’s largest Asian trading partner and 8thoverall. Minister Roche will meet with senior business and trade representatives in the course of his visit to Tokyo and Osaka.
- Ireland
is home to 32 Japanese companies and 24 Irish companies have a presence
in Japan, mainly in the Information and Communications Technology
sector, the Biotechnology and the Irish functional food sector.
The Minister will visit Takeda Pharmaceutical, a company with a
facility in Bray. He will also meet with representatives of Matsushita
Electrics.
- Tourism Ireland is actively promoting Ireland as a
tourist destination. Their efforts on the ground resulted in a
significant increase in the number of Japanese tourists to Ireland
which reached approximately 31,000 in 2004, almost twice the volume in
2003.
- Minister Roche will be a guest of honour at a GAA
Sports Day in Yokahama, and participate in the St Patrick’s Day Parade
in Tokyo. He will also attend the Emerald Ball, organised by the
Ireland Fund of Japan.
· The potential for expanding Irish trade to Malaysia
is considerable. Malaysia has developed a strong interest in a number
of sectors in which Ireland has taken a lead, notably the ICT sector. ·
The Minister will attend the Irish Business Network lunch to highlight
the growing scope for Irish companies in Malaysia. The Malaysian
emphasis on the knowledge-economy and on E-commerce, as well as the
deregulation of the telecoms market, creates significant opportunities
for Irish companies. He will also address the St Patrick’s Society Ball
in Kuala Lumpur, the largest St. Patrick’s Day Event in South East Asia. - Ireland is a significant exporter of services to Malaysia, notably in the education and engineering consultancy sectors.
- Education
is one of the principal connections between Ireland and Malaysia. Large
numbers of Malaysians travel overseas for University education and
Ireland has become an important destination for them. Minister Roche
will attend the Irish Universities Medical Consortium Dinner to endorse
the growing education network between Ireland and Malaysia. The
development of inter-institutional links between Irish and Malaysian
Universities is being actively encouraged and supported.
- Minister
Roche will also be the guest of honour at a dinner organised by the
Thai-Ireland Chamber of Commerce to launch its first ever ‘Festival of
Ireland’. Trade with Thailandwas worth over €0.5
billion in 2004. Irish exports to Thailand were valued at €162
million - a year-on-year increase of 12%.
- Thailand is also an
important Asian market for food and related exports and there is
significant scope for expansion in the education sector. As with
Malaysia, Thailand has developed a strong interest in learning from
Ireland's experience in the IT and education sectors.
AUSTRALIA – Minister Brian Cowen
- The
Australian market is extremely important to Ireland due to its
substantial industry and consumer base. Australia’s exchanges with the
Asian economies have increased substantially in recent times, and many
Irish companies see the advantage of using Australia as a regional
‘trading post’.
· Indigenous Irish software companies have
made significant inroads into the Australian market in recent
years. Overall trade figures have also increased, with exports
from Ireland to Australia valued at over one billion Australian dollars
in 2005. The Minister will attend a number of business lunches
organised by the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, and Tourism Ireland where he
will meet, amongst others, senior executives from Australian financial
services companies that have established operations in Ireland. - Minister
Cowen will attend a Tourism Ireland lunch where he will meet
representatives from the travel industry. Australia is an increasingly
important market for the Irish tourism sector. In 2005, an
estimated 150,000 Australian visitors came to Ireland.
- Minister
Cowen’s programme also includes attendance at Irish community functions
and St Patrick’s Day events including the St Patrick’s Day Parade in
Sydney. He will also visit the Irish Australian Welfare Bureau in
Sydney, the Lansdowne Club in Sydney, the Queensland Irish Association
and Maquarie University in Sydney.
NEW ZEALAND – Minister Éamon Ó Cuív
- New
Zealand is a small economy but like Ireland’s, one of the most open
economies in the world. There is great potential to enhance
economic ties between Ireland and New Zealand. Total trade with
New Zealand in 2004 was valued at approximately €83 million.
- Minister
Éamon Ó Cuív will visit Wellington, Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch
where his programme will focus on developing links with Irish community
groups. Minister Ó Cuív will participate in traditional St Patrick’s
Day events including St Patrick’s Day Festival Parade and Banquet in
Auckland. He will also attend the Wellington Irish Society Dinner and
Hutt Valley Irish Society Supper.
- 2004 witnessed a 34%
increase on the previous year in visitors from New Zealand to Ireland
and there is a significant economic and tourism focus to many of the
events in the Minister’s programme.
SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA – Chief Whip Tom Kitt
- Trade
between Ireland and Argentina has grown significantly. While
total trade has fluctuated over the past decade, it reached more than
€67 million in 2003 - a three-fold increase since 1992. Figures
for total trade during the first six months of 2005 show an increase of
one third on figures for the equivalent period in 2004.
- The Argentine market offers opportunities for niche exporters and for investors in more traditional sectors of production.
- Argentina
has the largest Irish community outside the English-speaking world.
Minister Kitt will attend a reception for Irish-Argentine societies,
and other community events. He will also participate in traditional St
Patrick’s Day events in Buenos Aires, including a wreath-laying at a
monument to Admiral Brown, the Irish-born founder of the Argentine navy.
- Minister Kitt will also visit Chile where he will attend the inauguration of President-Elect Michelle Bachelet, the first female President of Chile.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
UAE – Minister Hanafin - The
accelerated development of Dubai as a regional hub for the Gulf and
surrounding markets and as a distribution, marketing, manufacturing and
Information and Communications Centre, has resulted in a number of
Irish companies establishing their regional headquarters in Dubai.
Minister Hanafin will meet with local Irish business leaders in the
course of her visit to Dubai.
- The Minister will meet the UAE
Minister for Education and also visit Higher Colleges of Technology and
the Knowledge Village Dubai.
- There is an active young Irish
community in the UAE, mainly in the education, service and construction
sectors. The Minister will attend the Committee of Irish Society
Dinner, and Irish Society Ball where she will present the prizes for a
GAA tournament taking place in Dubai. Minister Hanafin will meet
with representatives of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and business
people at the Ireland UAE Business Network.
- In late March, Aer
Lingus will commence its new direct flight service to Dubai and
Minister Hanafin will use her visit to the UAE to actively promote
Ireland as a tourism destination.
BAHRAIN and SOUTH AFRICA – An Tánaiste
- Bahrain is a very good market for services from Ireland,
with several Irish companies already active in the market. They are
keen to see the development of service industries such as information technology,
thereby offering opportunities for Irish companies.
- The
Tánaiste will address the Gulf Air Gala Dinner to promote Ireland as a
business and tourist destination. From December 2005, Gulf Air flies
non-stop from Dublin to Bahrain. This is the first direct flight
to the region from Ireland, opening up possibilities for tourism,
student and business travel to and from the Middle East.
- The
Tánaiste will lay the foundation stone for the Medical Oasis of Bahrain
and officially open the Medical Univerisity of Bahrain, a college
associated with the RCSI.
- South Africa is
increasingly seen as an accelerating economy and also as a gateway for
expansion into other sub-Saharan African markets, some of which are
experiencing strong economic growth. Business interest is particularly
strong among technical services firms including IT companies developing
applications for mobile telecommunications, internet and financial
services. The Tánaiste will attend a series of business related
events including the Embassy / Enterprise Ireland / Irish Business
Network Dinner where Irish firms will develop contacts with key clients
and partners; as well as Embassy receptions in Pretoria and Cape Town.
The St. Patrick’s Festival is a new six day event in Cape Town, the
Festival Gala Ball will raise funds to seed an empowerment trust.
- Irish
Aid has a development co-operation programme in South Africa and the
Tánaiste will visit a number of projects supported by Irish funds
including Leratong AIDS Hospice in Pretoria. The schedule
also includes visits to the Salesian Institute Street Youth Project in
central Cape Town and the Zanokhanyo training centre for women in the
deprived township of Khayelitsha. Both of these centres provide life
skills and pre-employment training for the disadvantaged.
- The
Tánaiste will also visit Cape Peninsula University of Technology to
meet students who have benefited from an Irish Aid supported Bursary
Programme.
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