Enterprise Ireland Clients Announce U.S. Contracts Totaling $18 Million

    NEW YORK, July 16 /EMWNews/ -- At a business breakfast held today at

the New York Stock Exchange, Ireland's Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, T.D.

announced a series of contracts between several Enterprise Ireland (EI)

clients and their U.S. customers. When combined, the deals totaled $18

million. The event, co-hosted by Enterprise Ireland and the NYSE Euronext,

was attended by more than 200 guests that included EI client

representatives and their U.S. customers, among others.



    Commenting on the contracts, The Prime Minister noted, "Enterprise

Ireland invests in over 70 Irish start-ups annually and these companies are

now winning key reference sites in the U.S. due to their innovative

technologies and services."



    Overseas investment between Ireland and the U.S. is a two-way flow.

Irish companies now employ over 80,000 people across all 50 States which

marks a ten-fold increase over the past decade. Last year alone, 47 Irish

companies opened a U.S. office and more than 50 Irish companies had a

presence in New York.



    The Prime Minister continued, "The United States is a priority market

for Ireland's fast-growing high-tech sector and the profile of Irish-owned

companies selling into the U.S. has changed in a big way. The growth in

quality Irish consumer product sales has been matched and subsequently

outpaced by a surge in Irish industrial products and services in ICT, the

life sciences and other high-technology sectors."



    In welcoming the Prime Minister's announcement, Tom Cusack, director of

the Americas for Enterprise Ireland said, "The companies announcing

contracts here today are demonstrating the leadership and innovation that

is a prerequisite for growth in this substantial market. They have an

underlying resilience and a tenacity to continue to win new business

despite the difficulties posed by the Euro/Dollar exchange rate."



    Following the breakfast event, the Prime Minister rang the opening bell

at the New York Stock Exchange. Later, he met with Enterprise Ireland's

North American Financial Services Advisory Board. The Board consists of ten

senior Wall Street executives, many of whom are Irish or Irish American and

who donate their time to assist Irish companies targeting the North

American financial services sector.



    Mr. Cowen presented the Meithel Award to Mr. David Harnett who leads

the operations function of Microsoft's new Start-up Business Accelerator

(SBA) group. Meitheal is the Irish name for a work group and the award is

presented to key individuals who have significantly helped Irish companies

by donating their time and expertise to guide them through the U.S. market.



    Irish companies making announcements this week include: Realtime

Technologies (EMS and integrated supply chain solutions); Curam Software

(SEM software solutions); VigiTrust (IT security); Cartoon Saloon

(animation and illustration design studio); Advanced Innovations (OEM

electronics manufacturing and supply chain services); and ValidSoft

(financial software).

    About Enterprise Ireland



    Enterprise Ireland is the Government Agency responsible for driving

leadership and growth for innovative Irish companies in international

markets. With a network of 13 domestic offices and 32 international

locations, Enterprise Ireland helps world-class Irish companies establish

strong positions in global markets, thereby increasing regional and

national prosperity.