"The bad news is we intend to be in your face for the next few months, we intend business," Sir Reg Empey, told a business luncheon in New York yesterday, writes Conor O'Clery in New York.

The Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister was speaking at the end of a tour of Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York to promote Northern Ireland technology companies seeking new markets for their products.

"Our business in the city today and in China last week is that we have got products and services to sell and we are looking for partnerships," said Sir Reg, who is Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.