Ahern confident of trade mission's success
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today that he was confident the Government’s trade mission to the Middle East could secure contracts worth €65m for Irish businesses.
On the last day of the trip, Mr Ahern said dozens of deals were being discussed, which could bring in millions for the economy over the next three years.
Today, those on the mission were meeting firms based in Dubai before returning home.
Despite these successes, Mr Ahern was forced to defend the trade mission amid accusations that Government ministers Mary Hanafin and Mary Coughlan had been frozen out of talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Taoiseach insisted that female ministers had been treated as equals.
“They (Saudi Arabians) have their customs. They have their own practices and we have to acknowledge their practices,” he said.
Mr Ahern said Ireland was trying to get a slice of the valuable trade with Gulf states.
“Who’s doing the big business? It’s the UK. It’s Germany. It’s France. It’s our EU partners,” he told RTÉ Radio.
"Of course there are, from time to time, issues of human rights. We always raise these issues. We always put our point of view. I think there’s a way of doing these things and it’s accepted and we don’t do it with any nasty streak in us.”
Up to 170 business people from 114 firms north and south of the border have taken part in the five-day mission.
Enterprise Ireland aims to target new contracts in telecommunications, IT, construction, banking, public sector/utilities and education and e-learning services.
In 2005, Irish firms exported €152m worth of goods and services to the Middle East region, where more than 320 million people live across 15 countries.
The Taoiseach also held talks with political leaders during the trip.
This week’s excursion followed similar new-year trade missions in previous years to India, China and Mexico.
