The new enterprise development agency, Enterprise Ireland, is to co-ordinate a project aimed at promoting the Republic as a tourist, trade and investment location on the World Wide Web.
The initiative is based on the Ireland House concept - which involves the grouping of one or more overseas Irish agencies under one roof. The Minister for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Mr Kitt said yesterday this concept should be extended to the World Wide Web.
The latest Ireland House was opened in Madrid in October and incorporates the Irish Embassy, the Irish Trade Board, Bord Failte, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and An Bord Bia.
Mr Kitt said Enterprise Ireland will examine the idea of creating a network of virtual Ireland Houses using the World Wide Web.
"The Ireland House concept which has worked so well in the real market place may provide an answer to demand in the virtual market place - if we can tailor our individual websites to deliver comprehensive messages about Ireland through the Internet," said Mr Kitt.
"The objective of the initiative is to ensure we have a consolidated Internet presence to boost access to information about Ireland as a tourist investment and source of goods and services location," he said.
The websites would have links to Irish companies and other State agencies such as IDA Ireland and Forbairt and would adopt a similar design.
"It is clear that the use of information technology to promote Ireland will be a critical factor in our promotional efforts in the years to come," said Mr Kitt, who was speaking after launching a new Irish high-tech company, Millennium Controls which provides integrated systems solutions for a wide range of process and manufacturing industries.
The first Ireland House was launched in 1993 and among the cities which have one are London, New York, Tokyo, Moscow, Riyadh, Beijing, Prague and Budapest.
The benefit of the Ireland Houses is that companies wishing to invest in the Republic and Irish companies operating abroad can avail of all services at once. It is expected further Ireland Houses will be opened before the end of the year.
