NLIS 15
September 16, 2005
(Executive Council)
Taoiseach Ahern, Premier Williams
highlight Irish-Newfoundland and Labrador initiatives
In a news conference today, Ireland�s Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern and Newfoundland and Labrador�s Premier Danny Williams highlighted
key areas and initiatives on which the two jurisdictions are partnering. The
Irish Prime Minister is in St. John�s on his first official visit to the
province.
�Newfoundland and Labrador�s relationship with Ireland has grown significantly
in the last decade,� said the Premier. �The collaboration between our Ireland
Business Partnerships and the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership in Dublin has
enabled both jurisdictions to focus on sectors that offer strategic
opportunities, such as business, particularly ocean and marine technology,
culture and heritage, and education.�
The Taoiseach said that these activities reflect the fact that the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the two governments had led to positive and
practical steps being taken to build on the historic ties that exist between our
islands, and to seek ways to build positive developments on the solid
foundations that these ties provide. �These developments are in large measure
due to the work of the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership Board, on our side, and
the Ireland Business Partnerships Board on your side. These bodies work to
encourage and consolidate linkages in business, education and culture and I wish
to acknowledge the very positive work they are doing.�
Several new joint Irish-Newfoundland and Labrador business initiatives are
underway in the manufacturing sector, real estate and ocean technology. In the
oceans sector, Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador are exploring opportunities
in ocean observation and are currently pursuing global opportunities in the area
of seabed mapping. The Canadian Centre for Marine Communications, based in St.
John�s, and the Geological Survey of Ireland and Ireland�s Marine Institute,
have collaborated in the past on the completion of the Irish National Seabed
Survey. They will now build on their expertise by engaging others in the oceans
sector in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ireland and other jurisdictions, to develop
consortium partners through which they can market their services to
international markets. Additionally, Memorial University is collaborating with
several Irish partners in the areas of ocean research and, through its Marine
Institute, is providing training and access to technology to the Irish fishing
industry. This week Newfoundland and Labrador hosted a delegation of Irish
seafood processors and aquaculture operators. The participants chose
Newfoundland and Labrador with the intention of identifying opportunities for
partnerships in the areas of new product development, new processing technology
and the supply of raw materials.
On the culture and heritage front, there are two Irish-Newfoundland and Labrador
film productions in progress and there are three Irish art exhibitions currently
on display throughout St. John�s. The Town of Tilting was recently designated by
Parks Canada as a national historic site because of its Irish architecture and
historic link to Ireland. Earlier this week, the Ireland Business Partnerships
announced it provided $10,000 to Spirit of Newfoundland Productions Limited to
compete in the Waterford International Light Opera Festival. Spirit of
Newfoundland, the only selected Canadian competitor, will perform the
award-winning Broadway production Nunsense on September 20 in the international
musical theatre competition.
Education has also been a focus of collaborations between the two jurisdictions,
particularly between colleges, universities and rural community-based
organizations. Student and faculty exchanges are occurring between Irish
institutions and MUN, Marine Institute and the College of the North Atlantic.
This year, Grenfell College will introduce its Bachelor of Tourism Studies
Degree Program, a program focusing on cultural tourism. Grenfell has
collaborated with the Waterford Institute of Technology on the development of
this program. The two institutions will share curriculum materials in this area
and will jointly agree to host each other�s students for credit courses.
Grenfell is also pursuing opportunities with Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art,
Design and Technology (IADT) in the areas of curriculum development, student and
academic exchanges and summer in-residence programs in the areas of fine arts
and creative writing. IADT is also sharing an on-line curriculum package in
cultural events management with Grenfell�s new Tourism Studies Program.
Premier Williams said these are just a few examples of the activities happening
under the memorandum of understanding between the Republic of Ireland and
Newfoundland and Labrador. In July 2004, Taoiseach Ahern and Premier Williams
re-signed the MOU to re-affirm the commitment both jurisdictions have in
advancing the partnership. In a further demonstration of that commitment, in
November 2004 government increased funding for the Ireland Business Partnerships
by $200,000, to $300,000, to increase efforts to identify, foster and promote
trade and partnership opportunities with Ireland. The original MOU emphasized
co-operation between the two governments in various business, cultural and
educational initiatives. The memorandum of understanding is co-ordinated by
Ireland Business Partnerships (IBP) in Newfoundland and Labrador and by the
Ireland Newfoundland Partnership (INP) in Ireland.
Media contact: Ken Morrissey, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-4304, 690-0525
2005 09 16
4:20 p.m. |