Irish making ‘huge impression’ in Far East, says Burke

From meetings with Hyundai executives in Seoul to meeting members of the Japan branch Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann ahead of this year’s Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar, Minister of State Peter Burke packed a lot into his five-day trip to the Far East to mark St Patrick’s Day.fsa

In total, Minister Burke attended 28 different engagements in Tokyo and Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, he said that while he was "wrecked" after two long haul flights in less than a week and his busy itinerary over the course of his five-day ministerial visit, he was proud to represent the Ireland on the international stage.

Some commentators question the merits of sending senior politicians overseas abroad St Patrick’s Day, but Minister Burke says that it gives Ireland a "window" to promote itself around the world that other countries don’t have.

"The highlight undoubtedly was meeting the members of the Irish communities in both countries as well as meeting the representatives of our state agencies, such as Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland, and being able to assist them as they try to attract more trade to Ireland.

"For example, Ireland currently has a trade surplus of €10bn with Japan and it is important that we try to keep increasing that."

During his trip to the Far East, Minister Burke met a number of Westmeath natives living in South Korea and Japan, including Bunbrosna native Neil Cooney, who is the director of the Enterprise Ireland team in Tokyo. In Seoul, he met Kilbeggan native Eddie Fitzpatrick and Mullingar native Cormac Kenny and his family.

While the Irish communities in both countries are quite small, Minister Burke says they are punching above their weights.

"It’s incredible the impression that the Irish communities have made in both Japan and South Korea, especially considering that there are around 1,500 Irish people in Japan, a country with a population of around 125m, and around 700 in South Korea, which has around 50m people.

"They have made an amazing cultural imprint on both countries. Both communities were so appreciative that the government sent a representative over to talk to them and tell them what is happening back home," he said.