A meeting with Ireland's diaspora ended on a high note this weekend with positive comments and former US President, Bill Clinton, offering a helping hand to the State.

Speaking at the second Global Irish Economic Forum in Dublin Castle, Mr Clinton said he would host a summit in New York to help boost investment in the struggling euro zone.

Three hundred delegates attended the event over the two days from the worlds of business, culture and politics. Including U2 frontman Bono and the boss of the International Airlines Group, Willie Walsh.

Clinton told the politicians and business leaders that they could do more to rebuild the Irish economy and he would help them do so.

"I think the American diaspora can do even more. I may be talking against my country’s interests here but American companies have $2-trillion in cash reserves that they have not yet committed to invest in the United States," said Clinton.

He added: "There's money there. I think you ought to target the ones that you know are rolling in dough. These are people who are sitting on money. They know you're a competitive country and they know they can trust you."

Clinton also said that the previous Government was right to bail out the banks but he added that unemployment and mortgage debt in Ireland needs to be tackled.

Clinton urged Ireland to focus on its strengths in the export market and to tap the goodwill of the Irish Diaspora.

Clinton said: "I think there are huge numbers of people who are proud of the fact that they have Irish heritage but they are not part of these groups right now. They've never even thought of investing here yet, nobody ever asked them to."

Spirits appeared to be lifted at the Forum and Taoiseach Enda Kenny told them that Ireland owed a debt of honour to Mr Clinton for generations because of his peace work in Northern Ireland.

'The Gathering'

A 2013 tourism campaign centred around 'The Gathering' also seems sensible and likely to yield dividends.

Announced in the first day of the Forum, 'The Gathering' aims to attract over 300,000 visitors to Irish shores.

It will be a year long event which will allow people at home and abroad to help aid the State's economic recovery.

The initiative will see a programme of events, festivals and fun designed to bring record numbers of visitors to the country.

It is hoped the initiative will bring 325,000 extra visitors to Ireland in 2013, boosting the tourism industry, creating jobs and injecting millions of euros into the economy.

(LB/BMcC)