|  | | PM Bertie Ahern welcomes PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng - Photo: VNGOP | PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng informed his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern of Việt Nam’s socio-economic development goals in 2008 as well as the five-year plan 2006-2010 to get out of the status of a low-income country. He highly spoke of the signing of the development cooperation agreement 2007-2010 with an ODA of US $120 million, focusing on poverty reduction and health care. The Vietnamese PM asked Ireland to continue grating ODA to Việt Nam after 2010. |  | | PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng meets Chairman of the Irish Lower House O’Donoghue - Photo: VNGOP | PM Dũng also suggested Ireland exchange its experience in economic development, especially in attracting foreign investments, developing banking and financial system, and training high-qualified human resource. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pledged to support Việt Nam’s poverty alleviation as well as advocate the country’s negotiations for the EC’s recognition of Việt Nam’s market economy. The host stated that the cooperation in education and training will become a focus in the time to come. He agreed to promote the collaboration among universities of the two countries, admit more Vietnamese students to Ireland, and help Việt Nam train English teachers. After the talks, the two leaders issued a joint statement. In the afternoon of the day, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng had meetings with Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) of the Irish Dail Eireann (Lower House) John O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach (President) of the Irish Seanad Eireann (Upper House) Pat Moylan, and Governor of the Irish Central Bank John Hurley. He also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on development cooperation and on double tax. Earlier, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and his entourage had paid a visit to University College Dublin (UCD), the biggest institute in Ireland, which takes the lead in cooperating with Vietnamese partners in education and scientific research. | 
| | PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng gives speech at UCD – Photo: VNGOP | Talking to professors and lecturers, PM Dũng briefed Việt Nam’s socio-economic achievements, challenges and difficulties as well as targets of his visit to Ireland. He asked UCD to further work with Vietnamese universities in implementing more research programs in the interests of the two countries. By Xuân Hồng | 