Address by Mr. Noel Treacy, T.D., Minister for Science, Technology & Commerceat the launch of the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Partnershipin the Westbury Hotel, Dublin on Tuesday, 24th April, 2001

I am delighted to be here today to preside over the launch of the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Partnership Board. We are delighted that we are able to coincide it with the launch of a major new television series "Random Passage" which is a joint production between RTE and the Canadian Broadcasting Services. This new series is set very much in Newfoundland. In its own way this mini-series is a manifestation of the kind of collaboration that we seek to encourage over a range of economic, educational, social and cultural areas between our two lands. This is the objective that is at the heart of this new Partnership, between our respective homelands.

I want to extend a particularly warm welcome also to Mr. Kirk Tilley, Executive Director, of the Ireland Business Partnerships, who has travelled from Newfoundland to be with us here today. My thanks also go to my co-host today, Ambassador Ron Irwin and his staff at the Canadian Embassy who has been so supportive in arranging this function but also in regard to taking forward the co-operation between Ireland and Newfoundland on all fronts.

The origins of today’s initiative go back to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Governments of Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador, initially back in November 1996 and reaffirmed under the signature of the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., and the then Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Brian Tobin, in April of 1999. Mr. Brian Tobin has of course moved on now to higher things and very important responsibilities – as Minister for Industry within the Canadian Federal Government. I am aware that he continues to take a close interest in the evolution of initiatives under the Memorandum of Understanding. Likewise, Mr. Ambassador, we send our regards to the current Premier, Mr. Roger Grimes, who has recently written to the Taoiseach to underline his personal commitment to developing the Memorandum of Understanding to its full potential.

A lot has already been done and achieved in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding. To give but a few examples, I have personally led three delegations there over the last number of years, including one which led to the signing of a deal between our County and City Enterprise Boards and Operation Online, a Newfoundland based IT promoting agency, which is now delivering an on-line learning facility for small start-up enterprises.

My Government colleague, Mr. Tom Kitt, Minister for Trade, led a major trade and technology mission there in 1999 with some 22 companies and other relevant institutions such as the Geological Survey and Marine Institute. A number of business initiatives and joint ventures emerged from this mission, involving export business for Irish companies but also the application of Newfoundland marine expertise to the major survey of our offshore sea-bed, which our Government has commissioned.

Fás has been there, as for example has Galway Chamber of Commerce, on recruitment drives and it is estimated that over 1000 young people have come from Newfoundland to work here for a period of time, over the last two years.

There are many more instances which I could cite of the positive benefits which have already flowed from our political and economic cooperation. The flow has of course been a two way one - I am aware of Newfoundland based businesses who have found business here; I think of Xwave in particular who have established an office here in Dublin and are working currently with our Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to support the development of our on-line capability. I recall visits for example from representatives of the Social Partners who were keen to learn about our model of social partnership, here in Ireland.

While all of these developments have been very worthy and satisfactory, the overall effort to develop the full potential of the MoU has, I feel, suffered because of the absence of a structure to give it drive and impetus on an on-going basis. The establishment of this new Partnership Board today will fill that vacuum. It will provide a standing structure which will co-ordinate and promote, in particular, economic development and initiatives between our two lands. As the Memorandum of Understanding itself points out, the major objective of the Partnership is to promote the development of closer cooperation and enhanced awareness between our respective business, industry and cultural sectors. This will be done primarily through business ventures and related technology transfer, through joint research and development activities, and through supporting cooperation in environmental management and through environmental industries. In addition there are also interesting proposals emerging and active steps are being taken on both sides of the Atlantic to develop partnerships and exchanges in the educational and cultural areas.

The Partnership Board itself has a well-balanced membership of 13 people. Apart from representatives from the State and Industrial development agencies, it has representation from a number of businesses who already have been able to develop a business relationship under the MoU with Newfoundland/Labrador. We also have representation from the Education sector and from the Marine Institute, given the importance, in the latter case, of the maritime sector for both of our countries. The political importance we attach to this matter is reflected in the fact that I will chair the Partnership Board myself on behalf of our Government. Equally important is the fact that we have secured a budgetary allocation of £250,000 this year to promote the activities of the Memorandum of Understanding, to which we look to this Board to give strategic shape and focus.

I should also mention that this Newfoundland/Labrador Partnership Board mirrors the Ireland Business Partnerships Board which has been set up in Newfoundland/Labrador and indeed which has been in operation for some time. We have learned of the benefits which can be derived from such a structure through the Newfoundland experience. Apart from the coordinating and promoting functions which I have already mentioned, it can act as a focal point for pursuing the objectives of the MoU and bring consistency through time in delivering on the MoU agenda. I would hope, through the establishment of this Partnership Board on our side and through the liaison which we will be able to generate with our Newfoundland colleagues, that we will be able to generate a new synergy in fulfilling our mutual objectives.

To support this Board, we envisage shortly the appointment of an Executive Director who will, we hope, be able to do the kind of outstanding job that has been done by Mr. Kirk Tilley in St. John’s over the past three years. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kirk on his appointment as Director of Strategic Industries in the newly merged Department of Industry, Technology and Rural Development over there and to wish him well in the future. I understand that the process for appointing his successor Executive Director of Ireland Business Partnerships is well under way.

I think we are in for an exciting, dynamic, challenging and rewarding time ahead in terms of developing our relationship with Newfoundland/Labrador. I am looking forward to working with the Partnerships - both our own and the Newfoundland side - in the period ahead. I thank in particular the Members of the Board who have agreed to give of their time, their wisdom and experience in this endeavour and I have every confidence that they will find it as fulfilling I expect it to be, in the exciting years ahead.