Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 120: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 9 November 2010, if she will provide a list of the names of all the organisations that she met; the names of the principal representative of those organisations; the follow-up plan agreed between her and Enterprise Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43026/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The aim of the education mission was to increase awareness of Ireland as a destination for full-time academic study by US students, building on our strong position as the ninth most popular destination among American students studying overseas for a semester or academic year. My engagements were: - Networking event for Irish higher education institutions and high school counsellors from the Chicago area at which I delivered an address focusing on the benefits of studying in Ireland. - Interview and meeting with a group of Irish American media publishers. The principal contact among the US publishers in arranging the meeting was Mr Cliff Carlson, CEO of Irish American News. - Meeting with representatives of the Irish American Partnership (IAP). The IAP is an Irish American philanthropic organisation, with a focus on education projects, and is led by Mr Joe O'Leary, the CEO. Ongoing contact with the Partnership is maintained through the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston. - Working dinner with members of the Irish American business community and with current and prospective IDA clients in Chicago. This dinner was organised by the Consulate General of Ireland, IDA Ireland and the American Ireland Fund. IDA Ireland are following-up on the outcome of this working dinner. - An address to the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, a significant partner to the Geary Institute at UCD. The Dean at the School is Prof Colm A. O'Muircheartaigh. - Meeting with Mr Richard M. Daley, Mayor of the City of Chicago. - Meeting with Ms Mary B. Richardson-Lowry, President of the Chicago Board of Education. - Working dinner with members of the Irish-American business community in St. Louis, organised by Mr Joseph McGlynn, Ireland's Honorary Consul in St. Louis. - Meeting with Ms Joyce Smith, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counselling. - Working lunch with the senior leadership of the National Association of High School Scholars, led by Mr Claes Nobel, the Association's Chairman. - A meeting with the senior leadership of Fontbonne University in St Louis, led by President Dennis Golden. Following the Education Mission, Enterprise Ireland (EI) has prepared a comprehensive range of initiatives relating to the US market, including: - The development of a number of research projects to validate/refine EI's US action plan. These are scheduled for completion by early 2011; - The development of specific marketing material for the US, based on feedback from contacts developed on the mission; - Follow up discussions have taken place with the Irish American publishers which I met. These have been very positive and it has been agreed that an Education Ireland supplement will be prepared and published in the Irish American publications during early 2011; - Based on the lessons learned from the Student Fairs organised as part of the Mission, a series of further fairs and events will be rolled out in 2011;

Enterprise Ireland is also seeking to deepen its relationships with counsellors who attended the Counsellor Breakfasts during the Mission and also developing relationships with others, including with specific local or regional associations such as the Massachusetts Catholic School Counsellors Association. They will also seek to develop relationships with Irish American Associations and with alumni, including through the development of a pilot Student Ambassador Programme. EI will be working closely with my Department on ongoing implementation of the international education strategy.