Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Ireland-Canada Trade Relations: Discussion
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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We have two IDA Ireland executives in Toronto at the moment, and they are backed up by the North American team, who give them really good support. I thank Mark Shorten, vice president for financial services and life sciences. He led out on this and did considerable work. I also thank Deirdre Moran, the country manager. We met representatives of several companies that are very happy with their presence in Ireland and that are going to maintain what they have.
Others are looking at opportunities. They are definitely looking at opportunities to expand their existing presence and at how they can expand. They are looking at the supports - coming back to Deputy O'Reilly's question - that are available. We were able to update them on those supports. Again, the one thing I have noticed not just in Canada but all over is that the presence of Irish people on senior management teams in these companies is a massive door-opener. They are there. In the middle of some of the biggest companies that we met, there are Irish people at the very top or in mid-rank with regard to executive decisions. They are putting on the Irish jersey. It is not just the GAA that is the fastest growing, it is Irish executives who are also the fastest-growing team around the world, and in Canada as well.