REPRESENTATIVES of the 100 largest corporate and public pension funds in the US will meet in Ireland in September to examine new investment opportunities, North and South. These funds are responsible for around $1,000 billion in assets.

Mr Gay Mitchell, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, with responsibility for the International Financial Services Centre, announced the details of the visit after a meeting with the president of San Francisco based Pensions 2000, Mr Philip Schaefer.

The meeting was to finalise details of a four day fund managers conference to be held in Dublin and Belfast.

The conference is being staged to coincide with Ireland's Presidency of the EU, following an invitation by Mr Mitchell on behalf of the Government.

"Attracting this conference is a major coup for Ireland," Mr Mitchell said.