ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, MARY ROBINSON, AT A BUSINESS BREAKFAST MEETING
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, MARY ROBINSON, AT A BUSINESS BREAKFAST MEETING TO ANNOUNCE THE BRITISH-IRISH BUSINESS '96 PROGRAMME
I am very happy on the occasion of my first official visit to Britain to have this opportunity to meet today with many leading representatives of British business. All of you share an Irish heritage and are part of the international Irish community. The purpose of today's coming together is to launch a new informal network which will provide important opportunities for Irish business people in Britain to become involved in the economic and political future of Ireland.
In the harsh years of the 19th century, part of the great diaspora, many thousands of Irish people, found survival by emigrating to Britain. In difficult times in this century, many thousands more found employment in Britain. In more recent years, Ireland has been increasingly successful in building prosperity at home, our current economic performance is among the best in Europe and emigration with Britain is now in balance.
Today, the number of people of Irish descent living in Britain is greater than the entire population of the island of Ireland and it is estimated that the Irish born population of Britain numbers some 850,000. The Irish in Britain have made a significant contribution in many spheres - in public life, in science, education and medicine, in literature and the arts, in entertainment and sports and in commercial life. Irish people are well established in the business community in Britain.
We are well aware of the important role of Irish-American business people in assisting Ireland's economic development and, in particular, their active support for the Peace Process. The Irish business community in Britain have also much to contribute and the time is right for new initiative. It is very gratifying that these leading executives, who are making their mark in British commercial life, are also keen to become involved in the Irish economy.
Extensive research has been undertaken among influential Irish people in Britain and there has been a very positive response. They see Ireland as offering a business opportunity. They are interested in investing in Ireland's fast growing economy and they believe the time is right to pursue these aims. This can best be accomplished, they have advised, not through a high profile organisation, but through the kind of informal networking that today's event represents.
I welcome the launch today of Business '96 magazine by the Irish Post in association with Bank of Ireland. This is the first in what is intended to be an annual publication which recognises and celebrates the achievements of Irish men and women in the top echelons of British industry. The list of companies which they represent is diverse and includes manufacturing and services, construction, food, retail, publishing, financial services and other sectors. It includes many of Britain's best known companies as well as Irish companies with extensive interests in the British market.
Of necessity, it can tell only part of the story and there is simply not space enough in one publication to profile the additional hundreds of men and women of Irish birth who occupy senior positions within the British economy.
Most of you work with companies who trade in Ireland and you will recognise that this new network is set to provide a major boost in strengthening the trade links between Ireland and Britain.
Our bilateral trade has been expanding steadily in recent years and was worth £14.5 billion last year. This is substantial business for both our countries. Britain is Ireland's single biggest export market and we sell more goods and services to Britain than we do to all other European Union markets combined. More than one quarter of total Irish exports, and 42% of Irish SME exports, are sold to British customers. In addition to selling quality consumer goods, Ireland has positioned itself as a world class competitive supplier to British industry, both in traditional sectors and in the newer technologies.
Looking at the opposite flow of trade, Ireland is Britain's seventh largest trading partner and Irish people, per capita, buy more British goods than any other country in the world. For example, Ireland is Britain's largest customer for clothing, footwear, and building materials and is its second largest customer for food.
Business people in both Ireland and Britain are very much aware of the changing pattern of trade across traditional frontiers, with the increased globalisation of business and, in particular, the continued expansion of trade across the single market of the European Union. These are exciting times in the development of the European Union and Ireland is looking forward to assuming the Presidency of the EU in July.
The European market offers almost limitless expansion for business. But within this Europe context, Ireland and Britain will continue for the foreseeable future to be major partners in trade and tourism and our increased trade in other markets will be matched by increased trade with each other. The Irish/British business community are a powerful force in helping us both to achieve this.
I would like to conclude by thanking our host, the Irish Trade Board, for their work in launching this Irish in Business network. I would also like to commend the Irish Post and the Bank of Ireland on the publication of Business '96 magazine.