gov - Global Ireland – Ireland’s Strategy for France 2019-2025, “Together in Spirit and Action”

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., has today launched a new strategy for Ireland’s relationship with France.

Speaking in Paris, where he held bilateral discussions with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the Tánaiste noted:

"Ireland and France are linked through culture, history, trade, shared values, and our shared engagement in Europe. The relationship is one of a strong and enduring friendship.

"With Brexit approaching, we need to ensure that we continue to build our relationship, so that we can face new challenges together. Some of the key actions this strategy will help deliver are:

expanding Ireland’s Honorary Consul network in France
opening a new Enterprise Ireland office in Lyon
establishing a new Franco-Irish Business Forum
new structured engagement with the Irish community in France
deepening our cultural engagement including appointing a new cultural officer to the Embassy in Paris
working with France and the European Commission to deliver the Celtic Interconnector
growing our food and drink exports to France to €1 billion by 2025

"This strategy will bring new engagements across areas such as trade, education, science, culture, tourism, and diplomacy – ensuring our relationship with France will continue to flourish long into the future."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Global Ireland – Ireland’s Strategy for France 2019-2025, “Together in Spirit and Action”
Drawing on extensive consultations with the Irish diaspora, the business community, and across government, Global Ireland – Ireland’s Strategy for France 2019-2025, “Together in Spirit and Action” makes 26 recommendations for reinforcing Ireland’s footprint in France
The Government’s ‘Global Ireland’ plan is an ‘all-of-Government’ programme which aims to double Irelands impact in the world by 2025. The programme was launched by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and Ministers of Enterprise, and Culture in June 2018. ‘Global Ireland’ sets Irelands global footprint into three broad areas, namely, how we trade, the bilateral and multilateral partnerships we build, and our wider contribution to the world
During their bilateral discussions, the Tánaiste and Prime Minister Philippe discussed preparations for Brexit and spoke on a number of other European issues of common interest, including the EU budget Multiannual Financial Framework. The Tánaiste spoke at the MEDEF (French Employers Federation) Summer School gathering of business and political leaders about our bilateral relationship with France and Ireland’s place in the EU, as well as on our views on Brexit