Before the discussions to open up the debate to the wider European and international agendas, let me say a little about how we in the Central Bank have been dealing with some of the challenges faced in Ireland. It is vital that we do whatever is necessary to protect and improve the reputation of Ireland as a financial centre.
In addition, the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement also marks an important step in deepening cross-border trade. Collectively, the GCC countries now represent a population of some 35 million and the world’s 13th largest economy. It has also been generating current account surpluses larger than China’s in recent years.