Minister Andrews opens new Ireland House in Madrid

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr David Andrews, TD, on his first overseas visit since his appointment, today opened the new Ireland House in Madrid and had meetings with Spain's Prime Minister, Mr Jose-Maria Aznar and its Foreign Minister, Mr Abel Matutes to discuss current EU issues of concern to both countries. The Minister also addressed an Ireland-Spain business conference.

The new Ireland House brings the various State agencies represented in Spain together under the one roof and is aimed at heightening Ireland's economic profile in the expanding Spanish market. Spain is already Ireland's ninth largest export market. "Trade with Spain has quadrupled in the last decade and now stands at almost £1 billion. The Spanish market has considerable potential for the further growth of Irish exports and the establishment of an Ireland House in Madrid is part of a concerted effort for the effective promotion of our economic interests in this important market", Minister Andrews said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Andrews said that "we have gradually come to recognise the economic element in our international relations" and the Ireland House concept is a reflection of this. "If Ireland is to reach out effectively to the major world markets for trade, services and foreign investment, it is essential for the State and its agencies to develop effective coordination and cooperation both among themselves and with the private sector. Irish Ambassadors and their staff across the world have a vital role to play in this development. I would like to see our resources used to the optimum, so that our representation abroad operates to its full potential and makes the most effective possible links with business people in our partner countries as well as with the Governments and institutions of those countries".

With regard to the Spanish market, the Minster noted "the increasing importance of Irish exports of food and drink. These traditional products, handled and shipped by the most modern means, benefit from the natural advantages Ireland enjoys as a producer of meat and dairy products and sea-food". Minister Andrews said that about 180, 000 Irish tourists now visit Spain each year while Ireland is attracting around 70,000 Spanish visitors.

Madrid is the third city to host an Ireland House, the others being in New York and Tokyo. Similar ventures operate in London and Paris.

Ireland House, Madrid will house the Irish Embassy as well as the Irish Trade Board, An Bord Bia, Bord Fáilte, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. Ireland House is located in the heart of Madrid's financial district in a building shared with the offices of the European Commission and the European Parliament. The furniture and fittings in the new offices have been chosen as a showcase for quality Irish products.

In his meetings with Prime Minister Aznar and Foreign Minister Matutes, Minister Andrews focussed on the future of the EU's Structural and Cohesion Funds in the period from 2000 to 2006. He described the EU's next enlargement as "an historic opportunity to ensure the future peace and stability of Europe". With regard to Structural Funds, which are of special concern to both Ireland and Spain, Minister Andrews stressed the need for the EU "to sustain its funding effort so that the cohesion countries can achieve a permanent catching up with the traditionally more prosperous parts of Europe". The Minister made the point that whereas Ireland has made important headway, "we have continuing development and infrastructural needs stemming from the fact that our economic progress is quite recent and that we have not accumulated the stock of capital wealth that exists in countries that developed at an earlier stage".

Minister Andrews briefed his Spanish hosts on the Northern Ireland peace process, stressing that the substantive three-stranded talks "represent our best ever chance to achieve a just and lasting settlement". He welcomed the continued interest and support coming from the European Union and stressed the Government's commitment to "finding acceptable political structures which can command the agreement of both communities". Top