A 16 person Scottish delegation led by Minister Ivan McKee, MSP, the Scottish Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation will take part in a 3-day trade mission to the West Donegal Gaeltacht from 17th-19th October.
The trade mission will be hosted by Údarás na Gaeltachta and its Scottish partner, The West Lothian Chamber of Commerce.
The trade mission is the result of an invitation extended on a similar visit to meet the Irish Diaspora in Glasgow earlier this year by Minister Joe McHugh, T.D., the then Minister of State for The Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Islands and Government Chief Whip, and representatives from Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
During this trade mission the delegates will visit the An Clochán Liath and Gaoth Dobhair areas, get a taste of the unique Gaeltacht culture and language and will make connections with a number of Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies and community organisations.
The delegation will visit the state of the art Randox Teoranta facility in An Clochán Liath to see the potential of scale that exists in the Donegal Gaeltacht with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair will also be another highlight for the mission including visits to a number of companies on the business park.
They will hear from start-up businesses and agencies on the practicalities of setting up business in Ireland.
The three-day visit will also include a presentation and tour of gteic@Gaoth Dobhair, one of a network of 31 innovation and digital hubs being established by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The minister and delegation will also visit Donegal Airport and meet with airport management and representatives from Loganair to further support Irish – Scottish links.
Micheál Ó hÉanaigh, Chief Executive Officer of Údarás na Gaeltachta, who accompanied Minister McHugh on his visit to Scotland in July 2018, was delighted to welcome the Scottish delegation to the Gaeltacht.
He said “We are encouraged by the interest shown by the Scottish Delegation in this area of Donegal. This visit provides a valuable platform to showcase the Gaeltacht as a competitive location to establish a business and has a great deal to offer companies. I am delighted that in the coming days that they will be engaging with Gaeltacht businesses to explore and discuss potential business opportunities.
“The links between North West Donegal and the West of Scotland are well-established and longstanding. The Donegal Gaeltacht is familiar to successive generations of Irish emigrants to the west of Scotland, many of whom come from Gaeltacht areas such as Gaoth Dobhair, Na Rosa and Cloich Chionnaola, and many have maintained regular contact with their relatives there.
“These initiatives are keen to build on existing connections, build new contacts and develop stronger economic ties between the Gaeltacht regions of Ireland and the West of Scotland.
“The Diaspóra na Gaeltachta project, included in our three year strategic plan, will endeavor to encourage the emigrant Gaeltacht community abroad or in Ireland to return home to the Gaeltacht, their families and communities and, thereby, bolster the Irish language as a community language in those areas.”
Aire Trádála, Infheistíochta agus Nuálaíochta na hAlban ar an stiúir ar Mhisean Trádála trí lá i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall
Beidh an tAire Ivan McKee, MSP, Aire Trádála, Infheistíochta agus Nuálaíochta na hAlban ina cheann feáin ar sheisear déag cuairteoirí a bheidh ar Mhisean Trádála 3 lá chuig Gaeltacht Dhún na nGall ón 17 go 19 Deireadh Fómhair 2018. Tá an misean trádála á eagrú ag Údarás na Gaeltachta agus a gcomhpháirtithe Albanacha, Cumann Tráchtála Lodainn Thiar (West Lothian).
Is mar thoradh ar chuairt a thug an tAire Joe McHugh, T.D., an tAire don Ghaeilge, don Ghaeltacht agus do na hOileáin agus Príomh Aoire an Rialtais ag an am, agus ionadaithe ó Údarás na Gaeltachta agus an Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta ar diaspóra na hÉireann i nGlaschú níos túisce i mbliana ar glacadh leis an gcuireadh go hiarthar Thír Chonaill.
I rith an mhisin thrádála seo, tabharfaidh na toscairí cuairt ar na ceantair An Chochán Liath agus Gaoth Dobhair, gheobhaidh blaiseadh de chultúr agus do theanga uathúil na Gaeltachta agus déanfaidh teagmháil le roinnt cliantchomhlachtaí de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta agus eagraíochtaí pobail. Tabharfaidh an toscaireacht cuairt ar áis ardchaighdeáin Randox Teoranta ar an gClochán Liath chun léargas a fháil an deis atá ag comhlachtaí fás i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall le tacaíocht Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Beidh Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair mar bhuaicphointe eile don mhisean ag áireamh cuairteanna ar roinnt gnónna ar an bPáirc Ghnó. Cloisfidh siad scéalta faoi chomhlachtaí atá ag tosú amach agus gheobhaidh eolas ó ghníomhaireachtaí ar ghnéithe praiticiúla do bhunú gnó in Éirinn. Beidh turas agus cur i láthair maidir le gteic@Gaoth Dobhair, ceann de 31 mol nuálaíochta agus digiteach atá á fhorbairt ag Údarás na Gaeltachta, mar chuid den turas trí lá chomh maith.
Tabharfaidh an tAire agus an toscaireacht cuairt ar Aerfort Dhún na nGall freisin agus casfaidh le bainistíocht an aerfoirt chomh maith le hionadaithe ó Loganair chun tacú tuilleadh le naisc idir Éirinn agus Albain.
Tá áthas ar Phríomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta, Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, a bhí ar an turas go hAlbain i mí Iúil in éindí leis an Aire McHugh, fáilte a chur roimh thoscaireacht na hAlban chun na Gaeltachta, “Cúis dóchais dúinn an spéis mhór atá léirithe ag an Toscaireacht Albanach seo sa gcuid seo de Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall. Tugann an chuairt seo ardán luachmhar dúinn chun an Ghaeltacht a léiriú mar láthair iomaíoch inar féidir gnó a bhunú agus a bhfuil buntáistí go leor le baint ag comhlachtaí aisti. Tá ríméad orm go mbeidh siad ag caint agus ag comhrá le comhlachtaí Gaeltachta sna laethanta seo romhainn chun deiseanna féideartha gnó a phlé agus a scrúdú.”
“Tá an ceangal idir iarthuaisceart Dhún na nGall agus iarthar na hAlban seanbhunaithe. Tá aithne mhór ag glúnta éagsúla d’imircigh Éireannacha go hiarthar na hAlban ar Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall. Go deimhin is as ceantracha ar nós Gaoth Dobhair, Na Rosa agus Cloich Chionnaola go leor acu agus tá ceangal láidir rialta coinnithe acu lena ngaolta ansiúd. Tá na tionscnaimh seo bunaithe ar thógáil ar na naisc seanbhunaithe seo, caidrimh nua a thosú agus ceangail eacnamaíoch níos láidre a fhorbairt idir Gaeltacht na hÉireann agus iarthar na hAlban. Beidh togra Diaspóra na Gaeltachta, atá san áireamh ina bPlean Straitéiseach trí bliana, ag súil le pobal na Gaeltachta atá ar imirce thar lear nó atá scaipthe ar fud na tíre a mhealladh ar ais chun na Gaeltachta, le tacú leis na pobail bhríomhara teanga agus cultúir a chothú.”
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