BILL GATES, THE founder of Microsoft and noted philanthropist, will be in Ireland tomorrow for meetings with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and President.
Gates, who is the founder and former chief executive of Microsoft and one of the world’s richest people, will hold a breakfast meeting with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore at the Department of Foreign Affairs at Iveagh House tomorrow morning.
It’s expected the pair will discuss development aid and the funding Ireland gives to developing countries which fell last year, due largely to controversy surrounding the misappropriation of aid given to Uganda and subsequent suspension of that aid money.
Gates is also lobbying to protect the amount of aid given to developing countries by the European Union. The amount of money given will form part of ongoing discussion’s on the EU’s seven year budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework.
Discussions on the budget are expected to dominate the six months of Ireland’s EU presidency with some countries pushing for aid to developing countries to be cut as part of an overall reduction in the EU budget.
Gates will also meet with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny briefly before he heads to Áras an Uachtaráin later in the morning for a meeting and photocall with President Michael D Higgins.
It is also understood that Gates will do an interview with RTÉ during his visit to Ireland while the Sunday Independent reported at the weekend that he will meet with U2 frontman Bono who he has a close relationship with.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say