Address by Minister Michael Ahern at EI Trade Dinner, Athens

Thursday, 6 April 2006

I am delighted to be here in Athens this evening and to have the opportunity to meet with so many leading Irish companies and their Greek partners and customers. This event, which has been organised by Enterprise Ireland, is an excellent opportunity for us to meet and network, and also to look to the opportunities for increasing trade between our two countries. I hope that you will all enjoy the evening and use it as a chance to get to know each other better, in order to strengthen relationships for the future.

Our business and trade approach is frequently characterised by the use of informal network links, like this evening’s dinner, rather than formal structures. Business today is as competitive as it has ever been and orders are won on the basis of straight commercial criteria. But, all things being equal, the personal dimension, with mutual trust and understanding, will always be fundamental to good business and is an integral part of the customer-supplier process.

We are doing more business together than ever before across the board – in trade, investment and tourism. In overall terms, trade between Ireland and Greece is at a fairly modest level at this stage but it has been on the increase over the past ten years. Last year, Irish exports to Greece were worth over €330 million. A number of Irish companies have established a strong presence in the market – companies such as Cylon Controls, eSpatial Solutions, First Ireland Spirits Company, Macalla Software, Tango Telecom and Unilokomotive, all of which are represented here this evening.

I believe that there are excellent opportunities in the immediate future for accelerated developing trade and investment links and business partnerships. In many respects, Ireland and Greece are very different countries but, when you think about it, we have a great deal in common. We are both heirs to ancient cultures. We are both modern democracies. We are committed members of the European Union and the Eurozone. Ireland and Greece have been enjoying successive years of dynamic economic growth - among the highest in the Eurozone. We are both trading nations, with buoyant exports sustaining our growth.

Ireland’s pattern of exceptional export development is the primary stimulus of our overall economic growth - our improved living standards, enterprise development and our attraction for foreign investors, and above all our impressive job creation. Ireland’s commitment to open trade, our membership of the European Union, and the flair demonstrated by Irish companies in winning business abroad have forged a modern, vibrant, high-technology Irish economy. Trade is our business and we recognise that almost all the diverse activities of our economy, whether investment in manufacture and infrastructure, education and training, research and innovation in products and services, are ultimately focussed on the international marketplace.

Ireland and Greece are also both aware of the importance of creating knowledge-based economies. Knowledge, learning and innovation are embedded in the Irish and Greek traditions. Throughout the recent period of Ireland’s development as a knowledge economy, in particular, the building up of our research capacity and capability has contributed to and, indeed, underpinned the success story.

Ireland and Irish companies have a very relevant background experience in working with partners in Greece. We have faced the challenges, the difficulties and the opportunities that any country confronts when it embarks on a major new direction. Ireland has made the transition from what was an essentially inward-looking, protected economy, with exports largely made up of agricultural commodities, to a high tech, export-led industrial economy.

As is the case in Ireland, a new breed of company is rapidly emerging in Greece which draws on well-educated native talent and is supported by overseas investment and know-how. These companies are positioning themselves to compete with the best in Europe, and would make excellent partners with like-minded Irish companies. I am convinced that Greece has the potential to develop into a substantial market for innovative, Irish-owned companies. Thanks to its key geographic location, Greece links the east with the west, the Mediterranean with the Balkans, and is a major gateway to South East Europe and the Middle East.

Our host today, Enterprise Ireland, is the trade and technology board of the Irish government, and is actively supporting Irish companies through a range of initiatives to build market awareness and accelerate sales growth throughout Europe. Their role is to ensure that the business partners, customers and associates of Irish companies are fully informed of the benefits of trading with Ireland.

Customer/supplier partnerships and strategic alliances are increasingly crucial in developing worldwide business and Irish companies have already proven that they make excellent partners. Enterprise Ireland is always pleased to assist companies – Greek and Irish – to put together alliances and partnerships that can unlock new business opportunities in Europe and worldwide.

Enterprise Ireland is actively encouraging Irish companies, particularly those who are well established in other European markets to examine the very real potential for building and expanding their export sales to Greece. The areas of opportunity for Irish companies in Greece are wide-ranging and include such key economic sectors as telecommunications, construction material, engineering and energy, environmental technologies, healthcare, the sports and leisure industry and fisheries and aquaculture.

I invite Greek businesses to make full use of the resources of Enterprise Ireland. I have no doubt, as I said, that there are significant opportunities for greater partnership between Ireland and Greece and we are committed to further developing these opportunities in the years ahead.

ENDS

TC 215