Harney to meet with US administration officials

Tánaiste and Minster for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Mary Harney, is in Washington today for a series of top level meetings with senior members of the US administration.

Her visit comes in advance of the upcoming EU-US summit, which takes place in Ireland in June.

In the course of her visit to Washington, the Tánaiste will meet with the US Secretary of Commerce, Don Evans, the Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham and the US Trade Representative, Bob Zoellick.

Topics for discussion include bilateral economic relations between the US and Ireland and the prospects for agreement in the latest round of WTO Talks.

Prior to meeting, the Tánaiste said: “The US is a very important business partner for Ireland both in terms of bi-lateral trade and the contribution of US foreign direct investment to the success of the Irish economy.

"US economic indicators are very encouraging at present and I am anxious to discuss with Secretary Evans the prospects for an upturn in the global economy as well as the further development of our bilateral relationship.”

“I very much want to encourage the establishment of formal and regular contacts between my Department and the Department of Commerce in Washington.

"I hope to secure the agreement of Secretary Evans for such a development,” the Tánaiste said.

The Tánaiste was also in Washington in her capacity as President of the EU Council of Competitiveness Ministers, and will discuss with Secretary Abraham specific issues relating to EU-US cooperation in the field of scientific research.

The Tánaiste returns to Ireland tomorrow to finalise plans for the informal meeting of EU Competitiveness Ministers, which begins in Dromoland on Sunday.

The Meeting, which will be attended by relevant EU Commissioners and Ministers from 31 countries, together with international business leaders and leaders in science and research, will focus on how Europe can stay competitive in a global market.

Business leaders attending the Dromoland meeting include Carly Fiorina (Chairman and CEO Hewlett Packard), Jean Stephenne (President and General Manager GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Belgium), Bengt Halse (Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE), Chairman and former CEO Saab, Sweden) and Henryka Bochniarz (President Board of Directors Nicom Consulting Ltd, Poland).