merrion street

Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD, today (Wednesday) addressed 40 senior management people from French companies based in Ireland. The guests represented Senior Management from all the Patron companies that are associated with the Chamber: Air France KLM, Alstom Ireland, BNP Paribas, CACI, Caceis, Febvre & Company, LK Shields Solicitors, O'Callaghan Hotels, Pembroke Communications, Renault Ireland, Sanofi-aventis, Schneider Electric Ireland, Servier, and Veolia Environnement. Guests also included members of the French Embassy and the Executive Team of the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking at the lunch Minister Creighton highlighted the strong cultural and business links between Ireland and France:

"The many French companies who provide substantial employment in Ireland are testament to the business-friendly environment, the talent and the track record that they have found and continue to find in Ireland. A more competitive operating environment, in recent years, can be added to that list. France’s SME sector, so crucial to this country’s future just as our own, also finds ideal partners in our famously innovative and dynamic indigenous Irish companies."

"Ireland and France have always enjoyed warm cultural relations. Interest in Ireland in French language and culture remains very strong. There is – correspondingly – considerable interest in France in Ireland and Irish culture. The Centre Culturel Irlandais at the College des Irlandais in Paris is extremely active and successful. It now promotes a broad range of cultural activities in Paris and at the same time provides a focal point for Irish culture in France. "

"France is one of Ireland’s closest friends and I am confident we can grow this friendship into an even greater cultural and trading relationship between our two countries."

The Ireland France Chamber of Commerce lunch was hosted by the French Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Mme Emmanuelle D’Achon at her residence in Dublin.