Taoiseach plans to send ministers on China visits

Enda Kenny expects to dispatch a number of ministers to China in the coming months in a bid to win key trade contracts.

Speaking ahead of Chinese vice-president Xi Jinping’s visit to Ireland this weekend, Mr Kenny said he would be sending various ministers to China “in the period ahead” to strengthen trade links.

He said there would be a “particular emphasis” on the education, agri-business and health sectors, suggesting Ruairi Quinn, Simon Coveney and James Reilly will be travelling.

The Taoiseach said Mr Xi’s decision to accept the invitation to come to Ireland “speaks for itself” in terms of its importance, adding: “Clearly he’s going to be an international and global figure of very considerable importance in 2012.”

The primary purpose of Mr Xi’s visit would be to “discuss the strengthening and the deepening of links between Ireland and China, with particular reference to trade both ways”.

That would be followed by the reciprocal visit of cabinet members to China, he indicated.

Mr Kenny was speaking in New York following a meeting with mayor Michael Bloomberg before flying onto Boston to deliver a speech at Harvard and meet a series of political and business leaders.

The emphasis of his US trip has been trade and investment, with Mr Kenny saying he was emphasising Ireland’s advantages “in terms of our (low corporate) tax, in terms of our technology, in terms of our talent, and in terms of our track record.”

While several of those he met appeared to view Ireland as making solid progress in recovering from the economic collapse, there remains widespread concern in the US about the wider eurozone crisis and the failure thus far of EU leaders to resolve it. In that regard, Mr Kenny said there had been a “lack of faith” and “trust” around the “European leadership table” since he joined it last year.

The markets picked up on that uncertainty by not attaching credibility to decisions being made by the EU.

But he suggested that was now changing, and that the fiscal compact would stabilise the situation once ratified.

“I’m glad that that’s changing, and that when the fiscal compact matter has been concluded and ratified, that you’re then in a position where politically you can focus on how you make Europe actually measure up here in terms of the single market, in terms of the opportunity for economies to grow,” he said.

Mr Kenny said he would be travelling to London on Mar 12 to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron to continue their common approach on opening up the single market “to its full potential”.

The Taoiseach flies home from Boston today.