A new national website dedicated to promoting Ireland as an ideal place for business, tourism, culture and education is set to come on stream next year.

The idea of the website – which was first mooted at the Global Economic Forum in Farmleigh last year – is the first of it’s kind for Ireland.

It will provide information not only on tourism, business, culture and education but will also see the introduction of electronic embassies.

Project Director of the Gateway Ireland Project John Kelleher says this concept has huge potential.

“In the huge developing economies of the world – like China, Brazil, Russia – there would be a kind of a digital electronic embassy staffed by people in that country, but who are familiar with Ireland and language specific” he said.

“It would be a way of reaching vast numbers of people” he added.