Has Enda Booked His D.C Hotel Yet

JONJO THE MISER

In 2 weeks time Enda Kenny will be in D.C to meet Barrack Obama for St Patricks Day.
So has Enda already booked his hotel?
I bet he is looking forward to having streets blocked off and lots of C.I.A and F.B.I cars protecting him and his entourage.

zig

I was going to start a seperate thread, but heres probably as good a place as any. Im just wondering can anyone explain with examples the benefits of these trips by ministers, including Endas one?
In theory, yes, its great for promoting Ireland and the Irish brand for foreign investment, but honestly is it? Is there any proof that these trips actually have a positive return on investment (not that that investment is much mind you but still).
Do our ministers genuinely talk to CEOs/investors on these trips and convince them that our place is a good place to do business? Or are we all being fooled so politicians can keep up that nice little perk that they probably consider a great tradition of travelling abroad for patricks day?
Specific examples would be great, even one or 2 successful trips might be enough to justify the whole thing.

I think it would really stand to Kenny that he was trying to show that he really means change if he backed out of this one. It was show strength that he wants to stay in his own country for our national day of celebration and not rush off to meet Obama.

electrictrad

zig wrote: »

I was going to start a seperate thread, but heres probably as good a place as any. Im just wondering can anyone explain with examples the benefits of these trips by ministers, including Endas one?
In theory, yes, its great for promoting Ireland and the Irish brand for foreign investment, but honestly is it? Is there any proof that these trips actually have a positive return on investment (not that that investment is much mind you but still).
Do our ministers genuinely talk to CEOs/investors on these trips and convince them that our place is a good place to do business? Or are we all being fooled so politicians can keep up that nice little perk that they probably consider a great tradition of travelling abroad for patricks day?
Specific examples would be great, even one or 2 successful trips might be enough to justify the whole thing.

I think it would really stand to Kenny that he was trying to show that he really means change if he backed out of this one. It was show strength that he wants to stay in his own country for our national day of celebration and not rush off to meet Obama.

I think the answer to your question lies in two facts;

1. Ireland is the second most reliant country in the world on FDI (Foreign Direct Investment).

Think of all the major new job announcements we've heard recently. All are from multinationals such as Google, Intel, Facebook, pharmecutical giants ect.

2. Most of this FDI comes from US Multinationals

The fact of the matter is that if we left the EU tomorrow, it would be less damaging to the economy than if we severed all ties with the US. The fact of the matter is that most jobs which are not either Goovernment jobs, service industry jobs, or domestically-orientated enterprises are
in some way or another linked to US funding

...So if this means that Enda has to make one measly trip to the White House to give a crystal bowl of glorified grass to the most powerful man on Earth, so be it. . .we really do need our friends on the other side of the atlantic

ted1

yes it's of great benefit. There is a lot of jealous countries out there. We get a day of the presidents time every year.

Jesus Wept

ted1 wrote: »

yes it's of great benefit. There is a lot of jealous countries out there. We get a day of the presidents time every year.

I doubt he gives it his full day.

ted1

yes it's of great benefit. There is a lot of jealous countries out there. We get a day of the presidents time every year.

loldog

It's been enormously beneficial in the past but the power of the US is waning fast - let's hope we can shamrock up the Chinese a bit.

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jmayo

loldog wrote: »

It's been enormously beneficial in the past but the power of the US is waning fast - let's hope we can shamrock up the Chinese a bit.

.

Yeah Enda has seconded mehole martin to go over as a special representative, since he was told mehole has a fine grasp of Cantonese.

deelite

Why can't they post the "Shamrock" over it would save a fortune or better still give Michelle the seeds to plant for future "Shamrocks".