Global Irish Economic Forum 2015

The Global Irish Economic Forum has been one element in Ireland’s economic recovery, generating job-creating initiatives, helping to restore our international reputation and strengthening our links with influential members of the diaspora.

With some 350 key influencers in almost 40 countries, the message of Ireland’s recovery has spread to board rooms, international media and Governments. Many of the recommendations from the Forums fed into successive Action Plans for Jobs, including the Regional Action Plans, and other Government Strategies.

Speaking in advance of this year’s Forum, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, TD, said:

“As we move to secure and spread the benefits of our economic recovery, this year’s Forum will look to our future prosperity and focus on economic resilience. It also prioritises areas of high potential where the Global Irish Network can add real value through positioning Ireland’s International Financial Services globally, International Education and networking Ireland’s alumni, and entrepreneurship.”

This year’s Forum will look to our future prosperity and focus on economic resilience

Outcomes from the IFS and Education sessions will be fed into the IFS 2020 actions for 2016 and the International Education strategy which is close to finalisation.

GIEF 2015

Regional meetings in Derry, Limerick, Laois and Galway will build on the Regional Action Plans for Jobs and help spread the impact of the recovery, and the Forum, beyond Dublin.

Building on the engagement with Irish business in 2013, this year will see all Forum participants involved in a series of workshops with Irish companies across a range of sectors including specific sessions on Research & Innovation, Agri-Business and the Creative Economy. There will also be a number of sectoral discussions with Irish companies on Aviation, Financial Services, ICT, Manufacturing and an engagement with Start-ups.

By combining the expertise and local market knowledge of those from overseas, with Government and the Third Level sector, leaders in Irish industry and growing Irish companies, the objective is to explore and develop ways of helping Irish companies to scale and export, creating more jobs at home.

The Global Irish Network and the Global Irish Economic Forum are key elements of our diaspora policy

GIEF 2015

The forum will also provide an opportunity to look at how Ireland might look in the next 100 years. Building on the theme of Re-Imagining Ireland as part of the 2016 commemorations, the final discussion of the Forum will look over the horizon, to how Ireland should position itself to ensure prosperity and resilience for our people in the longer term.

Also speaking this week Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Diaspora Affairs, said:

“The Global Irish Network and the Global Irish Economic Forum are key elements of our diaspora policy and have attracted the interest of Governments from all over the world.

We are very lucky to have such a committed diaspora and I am very much looking forward to a discussion at the Forum on “The Business of Diaspora” which will explore how working together with our diaspora can be beneficial for all concerned when it comes to doing business.”

Read Minister Flanagan’s speech to the Forum here: https://www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/speeches/speeches-archive/2015/november/flanagan-speech-global-irish-economic-forum/

Read Minister Deenihan’s speech to the Forum here: https://www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/speeches/speeches-archive/2015/november/deenihan-speech-to-global-irish-economic-forum/

Check out the Forum website at: https://global.irish/