It is a pleasure to appear before the joint committee again. Members will be aware that the absolute priority of the Government is to return Ireland to economic prosperity. Three of the pillars of our recovery are the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, support for our exporters and rebuilding our international reputation. Our discussion this afternoon is, therefore, timely as both the Global Irish Economic Forum and the recent St. Patrick's Day period make a significant contribution to the steps we are taking to ensure a stable and prosperous future for our citizens.
Ireland is very fortunate that we can call upon the reservoir of goodwill, expertise and support that exists among our diaspora. That so many of them chose to accept the Government's invitation to travel, at their own expense, to attend the Global Irish Economic Forum is a powerful demonstration of their commitment to Ireland. For two days last October, some 270 members of the global Irish network sat down with members of the Government, senior officials from Departments and State agencies, members of the Opposition and leading members of the Irish business and cultural sectors for a range of discussions on how the diaspora can contribute to Ireland's economic recovery. I am sure those committee members who attended the forum will recall the high level of enthusiasm among the participants and agree that underpinning all discussions that weekend was a deep desire by them to make a substantial contribution to three key Government priorities, namely, economic renewal, job creation and the restoration of Ireland's reputation abroad. In response to the substantive, candid and focused outcomes of the forum, the Taoiseach and I pledged to ensure a robust implementation plan was put in place to deliver progress by March 2012.
Having reviewed the forum report, the Government subsequently endorsed a range of priority initiatives that focus on job creation, inward investment, support for our small and medium enterprise and export sectors and enhancing our international reputationI published a progress report in March which highlighted the current position in respect of the priority initiatives. Among the key developments were: the hosting of the Invest in Ireland round table by President Clinton in New York in February; the appointment of 130 advocates in key regions to work with our missions and State agencies in targeted sectors; the development by Enterprise Ireland of a programme to facilitate mentoring of Irish companies by the diaspora; the establishment of the Global Irish Network advisory group to co-ordinate the overall work programme for the network; the provision of support for indigenous small businesses to access capital, including a private sector scheme, known as Síol, which is being developed; a decision by the export trade council to formalise Global Irish Network involvement in trade missions; and the establishment of a new mechanism to recognise significant contributions to Ireland and Irish communities abroad by members of the diaspora. Significant progress has also been made in respect of a number of initiatives closely aligned with the forum - such as The Gathering and Succeed in Ireland - a programme which provides direct incentives to the diaspora and others across the world to create jobs in Ireland.
Members of the Global Irish Network, which now number over 300, come from a diversity of fields and are based in almost 40 countries. They provide Ireland with an invaluable resource of international expertise from which we can draw as we work towards economic recovery. Since its inception, the network has worked closely with the Government and State agencies in promoting Ireland's economic, cultural and tourism messages in key markets. The work being undertaken by the advocates, the establishment of a private sector SME loan guarantee scheme and the expansion of the Farmleigh fellowship are testament to the drive and creativity of our global community and concrete examples of their facility to contribute to our shared goals. The progress so far is only a first step. To be successful, the forum must be able to demonstrate its contribution towards Ireland's economic regeneration. The Government remains committed to ensuring that the outcomes of the forum evolve and develop and continue to contribute to this goal.
The platform St. Patrick's Day provides for engaging with our international partners and promoting Ireland overseas is unique. Over this period, Ireland enjoys unprecedented international attention. I am committed to ensuring we utilise this attention to our best advantage. In order to maximise this remarkable opportunity, it is necessary to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the programme of visits, an approach which supports the key aims of the Government and generates positive conversations about Ireland. For 2012, we chose "Now is the time to invest in Ireland" as our theme. This message allowed us to promote the steps we have taken to rebuild our economy, to reassure our international partners that we remain committed to the task at hand and to encourage further investment into Ireland.
My Department, in consultation with the State agencies, prepared a set of key messages, many of which were tailored to specific regions and audiences. Ministers used this material to speak with one voice on Ireland's economic recovery, on our strengths in competitiveness and innovation, and on recent investments. We also promoted various initiatives, including The Gathering 2013, Tourism Ireland's Jump into Ireland campaign and the Succeed in Ireland initiative. In co-ordinating the ministerial programmes, my Department works in close co-operation with our embassy network, with State agencies in Ireland and overseas and with relevant Departments. Together, we develop comprehensive, efficient and cost effective programmes that facilitate Ministers enhancing relations with our partners and advancing our national interests in all sectors.
For example, the promotion of Ireland as an attractive location for trade, investment and tourism was the cornerstone of my visit to Canada. In Montreal, I hosted a breakfast with the Montreal board of international trade aimed at encouraging further investment into Ireland. In Toronto, I met members of the Global Irish Network to discuss the role the network can play in promoting Ireland in Canada. Later, I attended a joint Enterprise Ireland - Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce event in support of our exporters. All these events were well attended and the calibre of the companies doing business bodes well for the future.
My visit to Canada also provided an opportunity to pursue our political objectives and improve our bilateral relations. During my meeting with Premier Jean Charest of Quebec, we discussed strengthening co-operation between Ireland and Quebec – which has a significant Irish history. I also had a very useful meeting with Canada's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Jason Kenney, where we discussed new Irish immigrants as well as the steps necessary to progress the EU–Canada trade agreement which is entering its final stages. Studies show that this agreement has the potential to increase trade between Canada and the EU by some €20 billion. Given our open economy, it is in our best interests to facilitate the early completion of this agreement and my visit contributed to that process. In both cities, I also met with a number of our community groups including the St. Patrick's Society and Concordia University's Irish studies faculty in Montreal and the Irish Benevolent Society, the GAA and the Orange Order in Toronto. I am pleased to report that we have a strong and vibrant diaspora in Canada.
The committee will be aware that Canada has become the destination of choice for many of our new emigrants. The Government, through my Department, is committed to supporting those who are leaving. We have in place a twin-track strategy for addressing the challenges presented by the current wave of emigration. First, our economic recovery is based around achieving growth and job creation. I want emigration to become a matter of choice, not necessity. Our key goal is to create the right conditions in Ireland so that our people do not have to emigrate and that those that have done so can return to avail of real and sustainable employment opportunities. Second, I will continue to ensure that those who do emigrate are not forgotten. Specifically, the emigrant support programme administered by my Department will be used to provide support services to recently arrived emigrants in the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and elsewhere. I was pleased to provide a concrete example of that support when I announced an Irish Government grant of €60,000 for the new Irish Canadian Immigration Centre which I opened in Toronto on St. Patrick's Day. Despite the financial challenges we face, I am pleased that the emigrant support programme has been maintained at the significant level of €11.5 million in 2012, bringing total funding for the Irish abroad to some €100 million since 2004.
The Taoiseach and 16 of my ministerial colleagues also travelled abroad over the St. Patrick's Day period. I am not going to cover all the visits, but among the highlights were a number of high level business events in Chicago, Washington, New York, London, Paris and Singapore. On the political side, the Taoiseach's engagements in Washington, including extensive contact with President Obama, was the obvious centrepiece to the programme. Elsewhere, the Minister, Deputy Alan Shatter met the Prime Ministers of both Australia and New Zealand. The Taoiseach and Ministers also attended many community events, both in traditional diaspora locations as well as in cities as diverse as Beijing, Shanghai, Stockholm and Moscow. Ministerial attendance is greatly appreciated at these events, which are organised to a professional level by voluntary groups who give up their time to mark a special day. I am happy to report that, in light of the positive feedback received from all quarters and the positive and widespread global press coverage, our programme of visits was very successful.
We are all aware of the contribution our diaspora has made to Ireland over the years. From our missionaries in Africa and Asia, to the contributions made to the peace process in Northern Ireland, there can be no doubt that in challenging times, we can achieve great things by harnessing the best talents and resources of the Irish at home and abroad. The assistance provided by our friends across the globe has greatly contributed to the Government's work in restoring our international reputation and building our recovery. St. Patrick's Day is now an event which resonates around the world. Our global Irish forum is a model many other countries are looking to replicate. I am committed to ensuring that both continue to make a strong contribution to our economic recovery and I will be happy to answer any questions the committee may have.
