Bruton Holds Talks With UK Counterpart

The Irish Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton has travelled to London today for a short visit to hold talks with his UK counterpart, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Dr Vince Cable.

The visit will include the inaugural British-Irish Business Dinner in the Irish Embassy in London as well as a breakfast event for the recently founded British-Irish Chamber of Commerce.

The visit comes in the aftermath of the highly successful visit by Queen Elizabeth to Ireland, and forms part of a drive to further strengthen business relationships between the two countries to the benefit of both countries.

Minister Bruton said jobs and economic growth will be number one on the agenda for the meetings in the hope that "close neighbours with a similar business cultures" can help each other out.

He said: "Not only is the United Kingdom our largest market, but it is also a close neighbour with similar business culture which is currently facing challenges very similar to those we are grappling with: exchequer deficit and above all an acute need to create employment and economic growth.

"From the Irish point of view, whilst the upcoming Budget and the need to correct the exchequer deficit are important at the moment, the Government's overriding concern is the need to create employment and economic growth. This is a major challenge, but I am determined to muster all the resources at our disposal in developing an ambitious plan that can achieve this goal.

"That is why jobs and growth is the No.1 item on the agenda for this meeting with Secretary of State Cable. Just as I am currently engaged in preparing a comprehensive Jobs Strategy on behalf of the government here, Secretary of State Cable has recently published his strategy for growth, and I look forward to taking the opportunity to learn from the UK experience, as well as to share with him the lessons that we have learned in these very difficult times," he added.

(LB/BMcC)