merrion street

Taoiseach Enda Kenny today met with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at Government Buildings following her appearance at the 19th Ministerial Council of the OSCE this morning.

Asked if she had any message of hope for the Irish people, Secretary of State Clinton offered a strong endorsement of Ireland's performance saying:

After years of economic turmoil we are delighted to see Ireland on the rebound.

The Taoiseach has taken a number of very tough important steps that have placed Ireland on the right track. This has not been easy.

I understand the real sacrifice, even suffering, that many people have gone through because of the economic challenges

But the view from the United States is of the resilience, the hard work and the determination of the Irish people.

The United States is confident in our economic partnership with Ireland. Our foreign direct investment here already tops 191 billion dollars, which is more than US companies have invested in Brazil, Russia, India and China combined.

So, don’t just take my word for it, take our investors actions and look at what they’re doing which is understanding that investing in Ireland is a good bet for the future.