Taoiseach Brian Cowen is in the United States on a three day mission to spread optimism and confidence about the Irish economy.
Mr Cowen is eager to convince business leaders here that Ireland’s fiscal fortunes have turned a corner, and the country is on the road to recovery.
He’s also announced a new venture capital fund, worth half a billion euro, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship.
On Monday morning, he met with the President of the New York Stock Exchange Duncan Niederaur on Wall Street.
He followed that by a meeting with leading business figures, including many members of the Global Irish Network, established at the Farmleigh Summit last year.
He has also been holding talks with US companies that have invested in Ireland, as well as giving a series of high profile media interviews including Bloomberg and CNN.
On Tuesday, he is meeting held talks with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
He travels to Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, where he will meet Governor Sonny Perdue, before opening a new Irish consulate.
It will be the first ever Irish diplomatic mission in the southern United States and the first new consulate to be opened here in several decades.
Mr Cowen is using his visit to the US to promote a new Innovation Fund, worth half a billion euro, aimed at boosting Irish business over the next five years.
The government is investing €125m from Exchequer funds into the project, and €125m will be provided by the National Pension Reserve Fund.
The remaining €250m will come from venture capital companies, which Mr Cowen expects to locate in Ireland, bringing money and expertise.
“The Innovation Fund was very well received,” Mr Cowen said after the Wall Street meeting.
“It’s about Ireland setting itself up as a place where business can be done, where start-ups can take place, particularly in the technology and life sciences and other areas, and ensuring there is risk capital available to help those companies scale up.”
He also expressed confidence that, based on market testing they’ve done on the initiative, that some US Tier 1 Venture Capital companies would send personnel to Ireland to establish European bases over the next few years.
“This fund is an opportunity for people with good ideas, whether they are in Ireland or within Europe, to see the country as a good location to start up their business or grow their business.
Although the visit is focussed on economic issues, Mr Cowen also stopped off at Gaelic Park in the Bronx on Monday afternoon to launch a GAA summer camp aimed at children.
The 2010 New York Cúl 4 Kids Summer Camp has around 200 participants from the Tri-State area.
He posed for pictures with many of the children, including 6 year old Roisin Smith, from Woodside, Queens, who wore the GAA jersey of Mr Cowen’s home county Offaly.
Roisin’s mother, Marie is from Mr Cowen’s constituency.
“I didn’t expect her to get a picture with him,” she said, “but it’s great that she did!”
Her son Sean, 8, was also taking part in the summer camp.
But did they know who Mr Cowen was?
“I’ve been explaining to them by comparing him to Barack Obama,” said Marie, “I said that in the way that Obama runs the US, Mr Cowen is in charge of Ireland.”
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