PARIS:THE SEINE did not turn green and the Champs-Élysées was not colonised by an army of beery leprechauns with oversized novelty hammers. Instead, new business links and the vibrancy of modern Irish culture were the themes of yesterday's St Patrick's Day celebrations in Paris.
At a reception hosted by Ambassador Paul Kavanagh at the Irish Embassy, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern used the occasion to stress that Ireland had “turned the corner” and begun its economic recovery. “After a period of unprecedented global challenge, Ireland has stabilised its national finances,” he said. “We are repairing the banking system. We have legislated for a new system of financial regulation at national level. From the very outset of the world crisis in 2008, we in Ireland have taken tough budget decisions and have shown resilience and fortitude.”
Mr Ahern told the audience Ireland liked to see itself as “the innovation island” and was gratified that technology firms such as Facebook and Google saw it the same way. Referring to investment in renewable energy and green technologies, he said: “The world turns green on St Patrick’s Day but in Ireland we ‘think green’ every day.”
France had more participants at last September’s Global Irish Economic Forum at Farmleigh House than any other non-anglophone country, and a new initiative aimed at building Franco-Irish business networks was announced yesterday. The group, called Network Irlande, will bring together Irish expatriates and French people with an interest in Ireland to forge closer co-operation and develop commercial links.
Meanwhile, meetings took place involving the French arms of Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the IDA and Bord Bia, and traditional music group North Cregg led a special St Patrick’s Day concert at the Irish cultural centre.