Department of Foreign Affairs

News Update

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O'Keeffe T.D.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe T.D., was in Paris on 26 and 27 May 2010 to attend a meeting of the OECD Ministerial Council and to meet representative of French business. Minister O’Keeffe was invited to address delegates at the launch the launch of the OECD’s Strategy for Innovation by the Organisation’s Director General, Angel Gurría. The Minister stressed the importance of innovation in Ireland's economic recovery. Minister O’Keeffe said many of the challenges identified in the OECD Strategy for Innovation were similar to those the Irish Government was now tackling. He added: “The OECD's invitation to our Government to address the launch is a strong message that the organisation believes we are on the right path when it comes to developing Ireland as the innovation island. Our approach to innovation is based on the need to enhance our research base, drive in-company research and development investment levels, build collaborative research between industry and higher education institutions, and commercialise research outputs. The establishment of a strong research culture in Ireland is a vital driver of major investment decisions by overseas and indigenous firms and it continues to lead to industrial and academic research partnerships. Despite the recession, Ireland won 125 foreign investments in 2009 and half of those were in research, development and innovation. We must continue to transform our enterprise and investment landscape to stay competitive”. In Paris, Minister O’Keeffe also undertook a number of engagements aimed at promoting trade between Ireland and France and French investment in Ireland and met a number of French business representatives and journalists.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D., was in Paris on 24 March 2010 to meet French Foreign Mr. Minister Bernard Kouchner. The two Ministers discussed a range of issues including the Middle East Peace Process, Iran’s nuclear programme, the situation in Haiti following the earthquake there earlier in the year, climate change and international environment related matters. The two Ministers agreed that Ireland and France would maintain close contact during Ireland’s Presidency of the OSCE in 2012. Minister Martin a number of important representatives of the French business community with the aim of promoting trade and investment in Ireland. He also met French based members of the Global Irish Network at the Embassy.

Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D.

The Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., visited Paris from 16-18 March to represent the Government at a number of events which were organised to mark St. Patrick’s Day. The Minister met representatives of the French business community interested in investing in Ireland. He also met a group of French journalists to brief them on the economic situation in Ireland and the significant progress being made on the road to economic recovery. Minister Martin attended an event hosted by An Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board aimed at promoting exports of Irish food produce to France and visited the Tourism Ireland stand at the French Holiday Fair held and the Centre Culturel Irlandais.

St. Patrick's Day 2010: Message from the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese

St Patrick's Day message (Irish) (PDF 41kb)

St Patrick's Day message (English) (PDF 34kb)

SOFEIR: (Société Française d’Etudes Irlandaises)

President: Pr. Wesley Hutchinson (wesley.hutchinson@univ-paris3.fr)

Secretary: Karine Bigand (kbigand@hotmail.com)

SOFEIR is the French Association for Irish Studies (http://www.sofeir.fr/). It was established in 1981. Its purpose is to promote the study in France of all aspects of Irish history, society, culture and literature and to encourage dialogue on these areas between France and Ireland. It does this through its annual conferences (March), through the participation of its members in the various areas of the French university system and through their presence at major international Irish studies events. In 1998, it contributed to the creation of EFACIS, the European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies (http://www.efacis.org/) of which it has remained a prominent member. SOFEIR currently numbers around 200 academics most of whom are members of the French research network in Irish studies based in the five major centres for Irish studies at the Universities of Caen, Lille 3, Paris 3, Reims and Rennes 2. Many members of SOFEIR contribute actively to the tri-lingual review, Etudes Irlandaises (http://www.pur-editions.fr/detail.php?idOuv=2007)