MEDIA NOTIFICATION - UPDATE: GLOBAL IRISH ECONOMIC FORUM

As previously advised the second Global Irish Economic Forum will take place in Dublin Castle on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 October, 2011.  A separate dinner for participants, at which President McAleese will be the guest of honour, will take place at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, on Friday 7 October (photo opportunity only).  Updated technical details on media arrangements are set out below.  A copy of the final programme is attached. 
 
ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is closed.  Media Badges will be available for collection at the Press Centre in the Coach House in Dublin Castle from 7.00am on Friday, 7 October.  

Media seeking late accreditation will be required to register directly at the Press Centre in Dublin Castle and to present an official photo ID (e.g. passport, drivers licence, press card).  

ACCESS TO DUBLIN CASTLE
Media access will be via the Ship Street Gate only.  There is no parking on site.

ACCESS TO ROYAL HOSPITAL KILMAINHAM (Photo-call only)
Media access will be via the entrance at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).   Note: Owing to space restrictions cameras will be confined to a riser position in the Great Hall. 

PRESS CENTRE
A Press Centre for accredited media will be located at the Coach House in Dublin Castle.  The Centre will be open from 7.00 am on Friday 7 October and will be staffed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Press Office.  Wireless access will be available and light refreshments will be provided.

TV Screens in the Centre will carry live feed from the Forum.  There will also be material available giving background information on the Forum and associated events.

MEDIA ACCESS TO THE FORUM
The main plenary and panel discussions will be open to the media.  However, due to limitations of space, it will be necessary to restrict access at some sessions depending on the level of demand.  These will be broadcast in the Press Centre so that all media can follow the events. 

A media zone has been set up in the upper-yard in Dublin Castle.  This includes platforms for broadcast positions and photography and space to allow interaction with the participants. There will be open access to this space from the press centre throughout the day.   The area will be staffed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Press Office who will be available to assist media with any interview requests.  

A number of press conferences will take place either in the Conference Centre or in the Upper Yard.  These are listed in the attached programme and details will also be available at the Press Centre.   

INFORMATION FOR BROADCASTERS
Organisations requiring dedicated facilities for broadcasting or space for outside broadcast units should contact Mr. Ken McAllister - kwmcallister@eircom.net, tel 087 774 5086.

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Pooled photographs of the event will be available at http://www.maxpix.ie/index.php

POOL FEED
There will be live pool feed of those sessions of the Forum open to the Media (Pool Feed Unit Manager: Ken Binley, ken@observe.ie, 087 967 0711).

This feed will be unencrypted and free to air for broadcasters who wish to downlink the signal.  Events covered will be:

Friday 7 October
0915-1130 approx; Opening addresses by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and plenary panel discussion - ‘Ireland: the road to recovery’.
1515-1630 approx: Panel debate - ‘Ireland’s image abroad’.
1930 approx: Address by President McAleese to Forum participants at RHK, Kilmainham.

Saturday 8 October
1130-1300 approx: Panel debate – ‘Promoting Irish culture’
1700-1830 approx: Address by Bill Clinton: then plenary panel discussion ‘Ireland and the Global Irish’: closing statements.

SATELLITE DETAILS:
Observe OB / Signal – Channel ‘C’ T11N – 37.5 West.
Slot ‘C’ parm.
DVBS2
Symbol Rate  2.894
FEC ¾
TX 14278.400 H
RX 10978.400 Y

ONLINE
The official webpage of the Forum is www.globalirishforum.ie. 

The event can also be followed on Twitter at @GIEF2011 (#globalirlforum). 

RTÉ will have a live web-stream of the Forum and associated events at http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1005/globalirishschedulelive.html.

CONTACT NUMBERS ETC…
For further information contact the Press Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at +353 87 7788835 or +353 87 6837205.