THE GLOBAL Irish Network convened for the first time in North America yesterday. Close to 70 influential Irish-Americans attended the meeting, entitled Ireland Returning to Growth and chaired by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin.
The network grew out of the Global Irish Economic Forum held at Farmleigh in September 2009 to involve the Irish diaspora in Ireland’s economic recovery.
Ms Hanafin said 112 Irish people from 37 countries had travelled to Farmleigh at their own expense “to explore how those at home and abroad could expand their relationship and work together”. That process “was driven by Micheál Martin, who was very anxious to be here today”. Mr Martin did not attend because of his family’s recent bereavement.
Since Farmleigh, Ms Hanafin said, 300 people “all with a high record of achievement” have joined the network. Among those attending yesterday were Ireland’s Cultural Ambassador Gabriel Byrne; Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chairman of the American Ireland Fund; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a financial consultant; novelist Colum McCann; Darragh McCarthy, managing director of Morgan Stanley; Fr Joe McShane, president of Fordham University; Richard Milner, director of the MIT Laboratory for Nuclear Science; James Quinn, president of Tiffany Company; Dennis Swanson, president of Fox Television; and John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO trade union movement.
After opening speeches by the Irish Ambassadors to the US and Canada, Ms Hanafin and Alan Ahearne, the special adviser to the Minister for Finance, the meeting split into sessions whose themes were: driving economic growth, harnessing cultural energy and restoring Ireland’s reputation.
“We have a fantastic resource in our global family,” Ireland’s Ambassador Michael Collins said. “We have a resource in this room that can make a real difference.”
“If you go by the media, you would think we have only difficulties,” Ms Hanafin said. “We are still a relatively wealthy country. We take our development programme very seriously.” The “1,000 Days Initiative” launched by Mr Martin and Hillary Clinton in September was evidence of that.
There were, however, “daunting economic challenges facing our country,” Ms Hanafin admitted. “Irish people at home are worried. They are looking for reassurance that we can actually surmount the difficulties. For the last two years, we have tried to stabilise public finances, repair the banks and improve competitiveness.”
The most recent figures on taxation and spending showed that Ireland was “on track”, Ms Hanafin said, with €15 billion already cut, and another €15 billion to come. “We are half-way through the process,” she said. “Obviously, the Irish people are nervous.”
Ireland receives more US investment than Russia and China combined, 80 times as much as Greece, and 23 times as much as Portugal, Ms Hanafin said. The World Bank included Ireland in the top 10 countries for ease of doing business. The UN development index ranked it fifth for quality of life, and Frommer’s Guide has made it the number one destination of choice for next year.
“Unfortunately, we have no shortage of commentators willing to argue that the glass is half or totally empty,” Ms Hanafin said. “That damages our reputation . . . We want to ask you, as opinion formers, how we can up our game. Communications are essential.”
Mr Ahearne said “the Irish economy is in the news for all the wrong reasons. It is actually doing better than we thought it would a year ago.” The Government had expected negative growth this year, but growth will be flat or slightly positive. Exports, industrial production and competitiveness were improving. “Ireland Inc” was paying off more and more of its debt.
Good ideas raised in yesterday’s meeting “will find their way into the four-year plan” to be unveiled within two weeks, Mr Ahearne said.
