Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the composition and role of the Ireland-US Leadership Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46822/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The establishment of the Irish American Leadership Council is one of the central recommendations of the Ireland-U.S. Strategic Review, which was launched by the Taoiseach in March. The Irish-U.S. relationship is of enormous importance and benefit to both countries. The Taoiseach believed that we needed to take a fresh look at how we are managing our relationship with the US and our community here. The Review was also written against a backdrop of emerging grave economic challenges.

The Government recognises that we have a very special relationship with the US and that we need to give it priority and special attention. The Review was conscious of the success in the NI peace process and the opportunity this gives us to build a new platform for the future. It also focused heavily on the economic, cultural and educational aspects of our relationship and how we can develop these even further. The Government is very supportive of the recommendations contained in the Review and we are moving to implement them. To that end, I recently chaired the inaugural meeting of the Ireland-US Leadership Council during my visit to the United States in October.

I chaired the inaugural meeting of the Irish-American Leadership Council in New York on 16 October 2009. Some 29 organisations in total attended the meeting, including representatives from business, community and culture who travelled from Washington DC, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia as well as others based in New York. I have placed a list of the organisations represented at that first meeting in the Dáil library, for the information of Deputies. It is intended that the Council will be a point for collective consultation and advice for the Government across a wide spectrum of issues of interest to the Irish American community and the Government. We discussed the importance of engaging with the new generation of Irish Americans and indeed, with Irish citizens who have more recently located to the U.S.

At that first meeting of the Council, I briefed the Council on the discussions that had taken place at the Global Irish Economic Forum, which took place at Farmleigh the previous month. We identified the promotion of education and culture as measures which would assist in the development of economic growth. I also took the opportunity to acknowledge the significant role played by the United States in the Northern Ireland peace process and urged continued support for efforts aimed at developing long-term reconciliation between the two communities.