O’Keeffe to discuss innovation in Geoghegan-Quinn meeting


25 May 2010

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O’Keeffe TD will today meet Ireland’s EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn as part of a week-long series of engagements in Brussels and Paris.

The Minister said he would press for “strong collaboration with Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn in advancing Ireland’s capacity for innovation in the enterprise sector in the broader European context”.

“I know that Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn shares my interest in advancing the innovation pipeline from research to retail so that we can transform ideas into commercialised products and processes and create the “smart” jobs for tomorrow’s workers.

“The Europe 2020 Strategy is well-aligned with the Government’s smart economy plan and with the Innovation Taskforce whose recommendations I am charged with implementing,” he said.

Minister O’Keeffe will also hold bilateral meetings today with other EU Commissioners including Antonio Tajani (Industry and Entrepreneurship); Michel Barnier (Internal Market and Services); and Viviane Reding (Justice, Fundamental rights and Citizenship.

Energy-efficient vehicles on agenda

The Minister is also due to attend an EU Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels today and tomorrow at which he said he would discuss the promotion of energy-efficient vehicles with his counterparts.

“Reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels will create new green sustainable jobs and business opportunities provided we can agree common European standards for vehicle equipment and energy networks” he said. “By 2020, 10pc of all Irish vehicles will be powered by electricity.”

Minister O’Keeffe will then travel to Paris to attend an OECD Ministerial Council meeting at which he will discuss economic recovery strategies with his peers. He is also due to hold bilateral talks with the European Commissioner for Trade Karel de Gucht, and meet Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland-supported firms.

Article courtesy of Businessandleadership.com

Photo: Ireland’s EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn