Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Government will host the second Global Irish Economic Forum at Dublin Castle on 7 and 8 October, 2011. The forum will provide an opportunity for the Government to meet directly many of the most influential members of our diaspora and discuss our priorities for economic renewal, job creation and the restoration of Ireland's reputation abroad.

Formal invitations will issue shortly to members of the Global Irish Network and other invitees. Whereas the precise details of the programme and topics to be considered are currently being finalised, I can confirm that the forum will meet in several different formats, including plenary sessions, panel discussions and breakout working groups. The topics to be discussed will cover specific economic areas identified as priorities in the programme for Government. The importance of engaging the current and future generations of the global Irish and the role of Irish culture in promoting Ireland abroad will also feature as important themes.

The 2009 forum, in which I participated, led to the implementation of a series of significant initiatives across a range of areas, including business network development, innovation, tourism, the promotion of Irish culture and diaspora engagement. The report of the first forum and its two subsequent progress reports are available on my Department's website. In addition, in the context of preparing for the 2011 forum, a comprehensive review of all the recommendations was undertaken by my Department, in consultation with all other relevant Departments. A copy of this review will be circulated and made available on my Department's website.

The Global Irish Network consists of more than 300 people from 37 countries. The members include some of the most influential Irish and Irish-connected individuals abroad and they provide Ireland with an invaluable resource of international expertise from which we can draw as we work towards economic recovery. Since its establishment in February 2010, three broad functions have characterised the work of the network: an advisory and facilitation function; a mechanism for disseminating information about the Irish economy and other significant developments; and its use as a means of delivering or assisting with the delivery of specific initiatives. The members have also been an invaluable resource to our ambassadors and consuls general in their work of promoting Ireland abroad.

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