Bill Clinton to help Ireland drum up investor cash at NY conference

Bill Clinton will attempt today to drum up business for Ireland at a special investment conference in New York being attended by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister.

The conference follows on from a commitment given by the former US president at the Global Irish Economic Forum held in Dublin Castle last year.

At that event, Mr Clinton said there was plenty of cash to be tapped in the US and that the Government ought to be targeting investors who “you know are rolling in dough”.

He pledged to hold an investment summit for Ireland, which will take place in New York University today and bring together key US business leaders.

The goal will be to encourage those who “haven’t already invested in Ireland’s economic recovery to do so”, a Government spokes-person said last night.

Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore and Richard Bruton will all be on hand to discuss the economy and the Government’s efforts to promote recovery.

The three men will first take part in a round-table discussion with “global business and economic leaders” which will be moderated by Maryland governor Martin O’Malley.

This will be followed by the investment forum itself. Mr Clinton will hold a private meeting with Mr Kenny and attend the beginning of the forum where he will make some opening remarks.

In addition to attending the forum, meanwhile, Mr Gilmore will address the United Nations security council in his capacity as chair-in-office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, an organisation of 56 states.

Mr Gilmore will also have a meeting with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and will present him with a special edition An Post stamp to mark Ireland’s OSCE chairmanship.

But the bulk of the Government’s focus is expected to be on the investment forum.

When he discussed the issue of US investment in Ireland last year, Mr Clinton said: “I think the American diaspora can do even more. I may be talking against my country’s interests here but American companies have $2 trillion in cash reserves that they have not yet committed to invest in the US.

“There’s money there. I think you ought to target the ones that you know are rolling in dough. These are people who are sitting on money. They know you’re a competitive country and they know they can trust you.”