Embassy Promotes Closer Ties with Galway

Ambassador Ariel Y. Abadilla, accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission Joy Quintana, visited Galway City on 27  May 2011 at the invitation of Cllr Niall McNelis(extreme left).  The Ambassador and his party were received by Lord Mayor Michael Crowe (3rd from left) and Acting City Manager Joe O'Neill (second from left) at the City Hall.  The Ambassador briefed the Lord Mayor of the Embassy's efforts to explore opportunities for closer trade, tourism, cultural, and people-to-people relations with Co Galway.

While in Galway City, the Ambassador also held a meeting with Carmel Brennan, President of the Galway Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Galway's premier business organization with over 500 members). Ms. Brennan expressed support to the Ambassador's proposal to explore a friendship agreement between Galway City and a counterpart city in the Philippines. On his part, Cllr McNelis highlighted the potential for increased trade between the Philippines and Ireland.  He cited that the Philippines was Ireland's 43rd largest merchandise trading partner in 2009, with trade between Ireland and the Philippines worth €165 million.  He also indicated that Bord Bia ranks the Philippines as the leading importer of Irish food products in the Asian region. The Ambassador presented to Ms. Brennan a copy of a compendium of Philippine Government projects for Public-Private Partnership for reference of the members of the Chamber.

The Ambassador also received a warm welcome from the faculty and students of Claddagh National School and officials of the Galway Marine Institute in Oranmore, where the Ambassador was briefed on the various programs of the national research institute and areas of possible international collaboration.