Prime Minister of Ireland Addresses Council Leadership

Enda Kenny, Prime Minister (An Taoiseach) of the Republic of Ireland, addressed the Bay Area Council’s Board of Directors on Thursday, discussing his country’s strong business and economic connections with the Bay Area, the implications of Britain’s exit from the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as President. Kenny said he had spoken with both the President-elect and Vice President-elect and is prepared to work constructively with the Administration on issues of trade and economic cooperation. He spoke eloquently and passionately about the imperative for creating real and meaningful career opportunities for young workers, a message that resonated with the Council’s own work here to strengthen linkages between employers and educators. Kenny highlighted the many advantages that Ireland offers as a platform for companies looking to expand or start business in Europe, calling out the successes of Council member companies like Apple, Oracle, Salesforce, Intel and Facebook, among many others. The Prime Minister also thanked the Council for honoring Charles Feeney last year with induction into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame, noting that Feeney’s incredible charitable investments in Ireland’s higher education system is a major reason for the country’s growing technology presence.