Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will be travelling abroad for the St. Patrick's Day festivities; and if so, the location he will be visiting; the functions he will be attending; and the groups he will meet with. [9931/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I will be visiting Australia for St Patrick's Day, visiting the cities of Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane. The Australian market is extremely important to Ireland due to its substantial industry and consumer base. In recent years, significant inroads have been made into the Australian market by indigenous Irish software companies. Overall trade figures have also increased, with exports from Ireland to Australia valued at over 1 billion Australian dollars in 2005.

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". To enhance the Government's Asia strategy across the wide range of functions I will be attending, I plan to maximise the unique promotional opportunities offered by my visit to deal with issues of mutual interest.

Australia is an increasingly important market for the Irish tourism sector. In 2005, an estimated 150,000 Australian visitors came to Ireland. It is only right that we make every effort to further increase the number of Australian visitors to Ireland and this is a useful opportunity to market Ireland as a tourist destination, as well as enhancing the attractiveness of Ireland as a market for inward investment across a range of sectors.

During my official visit to the three locations, I will attend a number of business lunches organised by the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, and Tourism Ireland where I will meet, among others, senior executives from Australian financial services companies that have established operations in Ireland.

I will focus on promoting Ireland as a "knowledge economy". Ideas and knowledge have transformed Irish business and industry. Our continued economic development is dependent on further enhancing our position in the globally competitive market for knowledge-driven investment and innovation. Our success in this area is already evidenced by the growing international profile of top level Irish scientists and entrepreneurs and my St. Patrick's Day visit provides an invaluable opportunity to reinforce this message. St Patrick's Day is equally an important occasion for enhancing our links with Irish communities abroad to express the Government's appreciation for the valuable work of Irish community and friendship groups. I will also visit, the Lansdowne Club in Sydney, the Queensland Irish Association, Maquarie University in Sydney, the city authorities in Sydney, the Irish Consulate in Sydney and the Irish Embassy in Canberra. In addition, I will be meeting separately with the Irish Australian Welfare Bureau and the Irish Parliamentary Friendship Group, which includes the New South Wales Minister for Finance. I also hope to meet the Australian Federal Treasurer.