Irish News

10/03/2010 : 15:51:14 German-Irish initiative for new jobs

Ireland is firmly back on the way to recovery and remains a good place for German companies to invest in and create jobs.

That's the message that a group of key German business leaders will hear at an event hosted by the German Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt this evening.

Ireland's reputation in Germany has been severely impacted by news of the economic crisis, the Chamber said.

"There are 300 German companies in Ireland employing more than 20,000 workers, including world leaders like Siemens, SAP, Deutsche Bank and Allianz. By reminding German business leaders about Ireland's positives, we hope to retain that existing commitment and lay the foundations for future growth,"Chamber chief executive Ralf Lissek said today.

Economist and broadcaster Marc Coleman, who worked in Frankfurt with the ECB, said the initiative is coming at the right time.

"The presence of Bundesbank President Axel Weber in Dublin today and the article by Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman in this morning's papers shows the huge extent of global comment and interest regarding Ireland. We have to get the right message out there so our image isn't distorted by excessive negativity and spin and we'll be telling Germany about the tough action Ireland is taking to turn its situation around, and how our economy is forecast to grow twice as fast as the euro area by 2012," he said. As well as Ralf Lissek and Marc Coleman, speakers at the event will include Ralph Biedinger of IDA Ireland, and German-Irish businessman Helmut Clissman. Tomorrow the Chamber will travel to Stuttgart where they will be joined by Ireland's Ambassador Dan Mulhall and German businessman Dr. Wolfgang Haefele.

more Irish news