merrion street

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has travelled to Australia and New Zealand for St. Patricks Day and has met with both the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard and the Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key.

Minister Shatter attended an event organised by the Lansdowne Club, an influential Irish business network which supports Irish businesses in Australia, on Friday where the Minister met with Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The Minister later on Friday met with Prime Minister John Key at a St Patrick’s Eve event in New Zealand. During his meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard that morning and Prime Minister John Key that evening Minister Shatter spoke about a variety of issues that are important to Ireland.

Speaking on Friday at the Lansdowne Club event the Minister said

Across Australia Irish communities are strong and vibrant and, through business networks like the Lansdowne Club, are working together to ensure that connections are made and opportunities harnessed. We are proud of the contribution the Irish diaspora have made to their adopted homelands across the world; just as we are proud of the diaspora’s ongoing commitment to and support for Ireland. This week we avail of the unique opportunity these ties give us to tell the world that Ireland is on the road to recovery.