US senator praises Irish economy

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton told the Dublin Chamber of Commerce annual dinner last night that she would be visiting the city in the near future along with a party of US business people and entrepreneurs.

Ms Clinton, who was to have attended the dinner but cancelled the engagement because of the September 11th attack on New York, addressed the dinner by satellite link-up from New York.

She said the model that led to Ireland's recent economic success was one "studied throughout the world". Social partnership had served the economy well, she said, and the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the Chamber of Commerce deserved praise for the roles they'd played.

Ms Clinton said her intended visit had been postponed, not cancelled. She would be visiting with a party of "business people, entrepreneurs, investors, the heads of companies involved in roadway construction, hospitals, waste disposal, so much else which can lend expertise to those involved with Ireland's massive National Development Plan."

The president of the chamber, Mr Alfie Kane, said plans were being made for a trade mission from Dublin to New York next spring.

"In the past 10 years or so we have expanded our economy at about 10 per cent a year, which is more than triple the rate in most of Europe," he said. "And a good deal of this economic success has been due to our strategic position between Europe and the US."