Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied that the Atlantic Corridor has been successful; the analysis that has been carried out to estimate the net economic benefit of his Department's funding for the Atlantic Corridor; his views on whether the project has been successful; the plans that are in place to establish similar projects around Ireland outside of the midlands; and if same has not been successful, when he plans to withdraw funding for the project. [11739/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Atlantic Corridor was founded in 1999 to facilitate, through its network of transatlantic and cross border activities and international linkages, the development of projects that will assist in supporting sustainable economic development and enhanced educational attainment. Atlantic Corridor has successfully built and maintained relationships with key partners in the US, Canada and Northern Ireland. Its activities with these partners support the economic development of the midlands region through international linkages in business and education.

Atlantic Corridor, through a range of projects, aims to support Irish companies to grow their exports and engage in technology transfer with international partners. It also focuses on promoting the teaching of science, technology and maths and stimulating an interest in these subjects in young students. Both these aims are in line with current Government policy which is focused on creating the smart economy. Examples of worthwhile activities organised by Atlantic Corridor include:

- In 2008, Atlantic Corridor held an international conference on Science and Education. This has led to the development of a science education initiative for a rural school in Co. Offaly. The initiative will allow students in the school, through the use of high speed broadband and internet TV technology, to take part in cutting-edge science classes in the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the top research universities in the USA. Georgia Institute of Technology, and their applied research arm, the Georgia Tech Research Institute have supported the project financially as well as through the provision of proprietary technology and expertise.

- In May of this year, the Mesa Biotech Academy will bring 5 teachers, 30 students and a number of Arizona State Government representatives to Ireland for two weeks to provide teacher training and classes for primary school students doing science. The Mesa Biotech Academy is an initiative based in Mesa, Arizona which aims to encourage participation in Biotechnology in school students through hands-on and high-tech learning. This visit follows their successful participation in the 2008 Atlantic Corridor Science and Education conference.

- Last year, Atlantic Corridor led a trade mission to Georgia and Arizona which resulted in new contracts and opportunities for 3 Irish companies. Furthermore, as a result of this visit, a reciprocal arrangement to provide short term office facilities has been agreed between Atlantic Corridor and the Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta. This will allow Irish companies wishing to explore the US market to have desk-space at the Enterprise Innovation Institute in Georgia and avail of the services of this award-winning enterprise group and access to a fast-growing region in the USA.

- Following a 2008 trade and study visit to Toronto and Waterloo in Canada, a Midlands-based IT company has developed two technology transfer agreements with Canadian companies and the Athlone Institute of Technology has developed links for its Masters in Entrepreneurship with the Innovations Group in the University of Toronto.

On an annual basis, Atlantic Corridor engages in a strategic planning exercise which involves a review of its activities against key metrics. These include, among others, the number of new International Business/Education Partnerships established, new exports facilitated (or part facilitated) through Atlantic Corridor initiatives, and technology transfer/licensing etc facilitated (or part facilitated) through Atlantic Corridor initiatives. This review informs its following year's work plan and is carried out with input from staff, board members and representatives from local business, industry and education.

Atlantic Corridor provides reports and audited accounts to the Department of Foreign Affairs on a regular basis, in respect of the funding provided. The funding for the Atlantic Corridor project is kept under review. I am not aware of any proposals at present to establish other similar projects around Ireland.