IDA on mission to woo US firms

IDA IRELAND will, this week, attempt to persuade a number of specific US multinational companies to target Ireland in their forthcoming overseas investment plans.

In his first overseas assignment since the recent Government re-shuffle; the new Enterprise, Trade and Innovation minister, Batt O’Keeffe will, along with IDA Ireland chief executive Barry O’Leary, meet representatives of 15 companies in the American mid-west region to basically sell Ireland to them as a foreign direct investment (FDI) target.

As the visit is not an authentic IDA Ireland trade mission, no hard and fast announcements are expected from the trip. Before leaving for the US, Mr O’Keeffe said the move was “an important platform to strengthen relationships between the Government and major existing and potential investors in an effort to encourage new investment and job opportunities.”