By Business & Finance 
CG Ryan presenting the 2014 Ireland Trophy at the Happy Valley Racecourse
Minister Richard Bruton has officially opened Ireland’s first Consulate General to Hong Kong and Macau as part of a broader trade mission to China.
Located on Des Voeux Road, the location was chosen specifically being in the heart of the business district with easy access for the community and visiting business people. There is also a special connection as the road is named after Hong Kong’s tenth Governor, whose family came from county Laois.
Minister Bruton was joined by John Tsang, financial secretary of Hong Kong.
Since last year, consul general Peter Ryan and his team have been in Hong Kong focusing their efforts on supporting the work of the Irish Government agencies and Irish companies.
Ryan said: “We have been able to do so thanks to the enthusiastic support we have received from the Irish community and also from the local authorities. The support of the Government has greatly contributed to the momentum in Ireland-Hong Kong relations, with successful visits by Ministers Simon Harris and Alan Kelly in recent months. Hong Kong is a trading and business hub offering immediate opportunities for Irish companies, particularly in the priority areas of financial services, technology, education, tourism and food. It has been important for us also to make an impact in the cultural life of Hong Kong and we were pleased with the response to the city’s first St Patrick’s Day parade, a series of Easter Rising events, and the Bloomsday celebrations we initiated. We are also working closely with the Irish Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong and successfully introduced the first mentorship programme to support young Irish professionals in the city.
He continued: “As Ireland’s first consul general, I am grateful for the honour but also appreciate the challenge and responsibility to make a real difference for Ireland by helping our companies to win business here and to raise awareness of Ireland as a destination for investment, trade and tourism.”
Also announced by Minister Bruton today was a doubling in the quota for the Ireland/Hong Kong Working Holiday scheme from 2016. This will enable up to 200 young people from Ireland to live and work in Hong Kong for up to one year, and vice versa.
