NJ Will Boost Business Ties With Ireland Through New Commission

NEW JERSEY — A bill passed last week will create a new trade commission within the New Jersey Department of State to help grow business relations with Ireland.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed A4055 on June 7. The law establishes the New Jersey-Ireland Trade Commission, which will be tasked with “advancing the mutual interests of New Jersey and Ireland,” including bilateral trade and investment opportunities, joint policy action, business and academic exchanges, economic support and mutual investment in the infrastructures of the two regions.

The commission, which will be an independent body “in, but not of,” the Department of State, will consist of 23 members — including 11 public members appointed by the governor, four members of the Legislature appointed by the Senate president, two members of the Legislature appointed by the Senate minority leader, four members of the Legislature appointed by the speaker of the General Assembly, and two members of the Legislature appointed by the Assembly minority leader. Each appointee must be selected within 90 days of the bill’s signing.

The commission will be tasked with reporting recommendations to the governor and state Legislature within one year of its initial organizational meeting, and by Feb. 1 of each succeeding year.

“As a Murphy, it is an honor to bring New Jersey and my native Ireland together for a strategic partnership that will benefit our two regions for generations to come,” the governor quipped.

The governor mentioned his and first lady Tammy Murphy’s recent “economic mission” to Ireland, where they met with leaders across the country.

“I am pleased to put pen to paper to mark the start of an official partnership between our two regions and look forward to witnessing what we can accomplish together,” Murphy said.

Ireland’s minister of state for the diaspora, Seán Fleming, said New Jersey has more than nine million inhabitants – of which nearly 1.1 million claim Irish heritage – and it ranks in the top ten biggest economies of the United States.

“This bill indicates a strong desire to deepen two-way trade, investment and education links between Ireland and the state of New Jersey,” Fleming said.

• See Related: New Center Aims To Strengthen Business Ties Between NJ, Israel

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