Oxford Business Group talks exclusively to Mary Coughlan, Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister

Mary Coughlan said that Irish businesses could assist the many local service providers who were keen to explore the untapped opportunities that new technology would undoubtedly bring to Abu Dhabi, especially the system management side of solutions.

In an exclusive interview with Oxford Business Group (OBG), the highly acclaimed global publishing, research and consultancy firm, Coughlin said that providers in Abu Dhabi had realised the exciting possibilities of combining ICT with telecoms solutions to create new platforms and products. "I would see huge potential for indigenous Irish companies partnering and contributing with organisations here to make this happen," she said.

The interview will feature in The Report: Abu Dhabi 2009, the most comprehensive and accurate review of the country's economy available, which is soon to be published by OBG. Rated as the premier source of information for foreign direct investment into the country's economy, it will be a vital guide to the many facets of Abu Dhabi, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, political landscape, banking and sectoral developments.

The Report: Abu Dhabi 2009 has been produced by a team of OBG analysts based in Abu Dhabi who conducted some 200 interviews with leading political and economic figures. Mary Coughlan is one of the politicians interviewed in The Report: Abu Dhabi 2009, where the full version of her interview will appear.

Coughlan said that while Irish companies could help businesses in Abu Dhabi to grow, there was also the potential for firms from Ireland to use the UAE as a platform to enter other countries across the region.

"Companies, telecoms firms in particular, here have penetration in areas where we do not. By doing this there is going to be a definite transfer of technology in a symbiotic manner." she said.

Other sectors which held promise for companies from both countries to work together included education, enterprise, food and, in particular, Abu Dhabi's ongoing infrastructure projects.

"In the roll out of infrastructure we hope there will be projects for Irish project management and architecture companies as Ireland boasts many leading firms in these areas,"

Coughlan said.

Ireland is currently looking to move ahead with its own infrastructure projects. Coughlan hopes that these government investment vehicles may attract interest from the Gulf, and Abu Dhabi in particular, when investment decisions are made later this year. She acknowledged that the economic situation will make competition for funds tough, but believes that the region's well-documented prudent approach to investment will be a deciding factor when decisions are made.

"I would say the people involved will be very pragmatic and long term in their investment strategy; they will not necessarily be looking for the fastest return on their investment as they are very responsible with what they do with their reserves," said Coughlan.

Available in print form and online, The Report: Abu Dhabi 2009, will be part of the range of OBG's publications renowned as leading sources of information on developing and emerging economies around the world.