Tánaiste welcomes Bill Gates to Dublin
Tánaiste welcomes Bill Gates to Dublin
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, Eamon Gilmore T.D., will this morning (Wednesday 23 January) host a breakfast meeting for Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates to discuss Development Aid priorities for Ireland’s EU Presidency.
Mr Gates is visiting a number of European countries ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
During breakfast the pair will focus on forthcoming negotiations to agree an EU budget for 2014 -2020, which will determine the size of the EU’s Emergency Aid Reserve and the European Development Fund.
The Tánaiste said:
“I am delighted to welcome Bill Gates to Dublin. The Irish
people have a deep respect for his successes in business and
innovation, and his personal commitment to ending poverty, hunger
and disease in the world.
“In particular I welcome the prominence he is giving to development
issues. We are determined that these vital issues will remain
central to Ireland’s foreign policy. Our own experience of famine
has shaped our national identity,” he added.
The Tánaiste and Mr Gates will also discuss Ireland’s top development priority for the Irish Presidency, which is to agree a common EU position for the United Nations Special Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) during the 68th session of the UN General Assembly in 2013.
At the Special Event, world leaders will discuss the progress made to date on the MDGs and will map out the direction of global development aid post-2015.
The post-2015 development framework will be the main focus of the
meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin on 11/12 February
which will be hosted by the Minister of State for Trade and
Development, Joe Costello T.D.. The Minister of State will
also attend the breakfast which will take place in Iveagh House at
7.30 am.
Mr Gates established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.
It has since spent $25 billion on development initiatives in
over 100 programme countries. Ireland and the Gates Foundation
have strong shared interests in the areas of hunger, nutrition,
health and HIV.
Press Office
23 January 2013
Note for editors:
The Tánaiste will join the Taoiseach for a photo opportunity with Mr. Gates at 08.50 at Government Buildings.
There will be a doorstep opportunity with the Tánaiste at 09.15 approx at Government Buildings.
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