Vol. 466 No. 3
20 Mr. B. Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations, if any, that have been made to hold a follow-up conference to the Washington Investment Conference; if so, the likely date and venue of such a conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/96]
It was announced by the White House on 15 March 1996, during a visit to Washington by the Taoiseach, that the US Commerce Department would host a conference in Philadelphia in the autumn to promote trade and investment, focusing on Northern Ireland and the Border counties. Such a follow-up conference was envisaged at the conclusion of the White House Conference for Trade and Investment in Ireland which took place in Washington in May 1995.
During a visit to Ireland earlier this month, a senior official from the US Department of Commerce confirmed that his Department is currently finalising the planning of the conference. It is hoped that the exact dates for the conference will be announced in the near future.
The holding of this conference is further proof of the commitment of President Clinton and the US Administration to underpin the peace process and to build and expand the growing commercial links between the United States and the island of Ireland. The US authorities have been assured of the readiness of our State agencies and Government Departments to co-operate fully with them in planning the conference.
The Deputy will be pleased to hear that follow-up activity to the Washington Conference is ongoing in a number of areas. A business development mission, comprising some 13 information technology companies, will visit Northern Ireland and the Border counties from 10-14 June 1996. This event will build on a previous mission to the region last October and an outward mission to the US last November which was led by my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Richard Bruton.
