A High-powered local delegation is flying to the United States this week in a bid to give Drogheda a major jobs boost.

The group, headed by Mayor Kevin Callan, will meet company representatives in California in an initiative billed 'Boyne Valley meets Silicon Valley'.

Building on the success of American firms such as Coca- Cola and State Street in Drogheda, the group is selling the message that the town is the place to do business in Ireland.

The project is part of the RTE 'Local Heroes' programme and it is believed they will be including the trip as part of one of the later episodes.

It launches this Wednesday and will run for six weeks.

The delegation also includes the likes of chamber president Padraic Kierans and Paddy Callaghan from successful local firm, Natures Best.

The delegation also includes employment law, web technologies and agricultural science specialists who will present information on issues such as taxation, green data centres, agricultural and the employment environment in Ireland. A GROUP of local businesspeople as well as Mayor Kevin Callan leave for the United States this week in a bid to sell the Drogheda ' brand' to major players in Silicon Valley.

' This will be Ireland's first ever town led mission to the USA, and is indicative of the feeling of belief and confidence the citizens and business people of Drogheda feel as a direct result of the RTE 'Local Heroes initiative,' stated Drogheda chamber president Padraic Kierans, one of those going with the group.

The decision to go to California follows a meeting with Mayor of Salinas, California Dennis Donohue who was in Ireland as part of the Irish American discussions held in Dublin which included speakers such as former President Bill Clinton.

'We have held discussions with Minister Fergus O'dowd, the IDA and the Commercial Counsellor in the United States Embassy to date and the response has been very enthusiastic.

'What has been made very clear is that the short term approach we should be taking as a town and a region is towards the United States where there is tremendous goodwill and connections with the Irish diaspora,' Mayor Callan stated.

' The key focus of this trip will be foreign direct investment and the message that our town is a key location for American companies seeking to locate in the European Union.

'Existing operations in Drogheda such as Coca Cola who have invested in excess of €6m in their new premises, being the largest financial centre they have outside the United States and other companies such as State Street show we are serious contenders for such investment and the team travelling out will be setting this out in no uncertain terms.'

They will visit a number of centres, including the Irish Leadership Technology Group in Silicon Valley.

In preparing their 'pitch' to the American market, the group has met the likes of CEO of Paypal, Louise Phelan, economist Jim Power and Aidy Mcguinness of Sigmar Recruitment.

The delegation also includes employment law, web technologies and agricultural science specialists who will present information on issues such as taxation, green data centres, agricultural and the employment environment in Ireland.

- HUBERT MURPHY