AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Irish Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection Pat Breen is heading an Irish delegation at the Digital 9+ (D9) meeting taking place in Amsterdam on Monday. 

The meeting is being attended by ministers from other EU countries.

The D9 group is made up of digital frontrunner countries comprising Ireland and Nordic, Benelux and Baltic states. Its focus is on delivering strategic oversight on the optimal application of digital policy and on acting as a forum for exchange of best practice. Monday's meeting was being spent discussing issues including the challenges of Digital Society today, with a particular focus on online platforms.

"Digitisation is increasing on a vast scale and Ireland has long been recognised as a digital front runner within the EU.  In addition to difference it makes to our everyday lives, digitisation provides huge economic opportunities. I am firmly of the view that a stronger and more coherent Digital Single Market is essential to boost jobs and economic growth in all regions across Europe, to open new growth opportunities for our SMEs and to ensure our global competitiveness," Breen said prior to enteriung Monday's meeting.

"The EU Digital Single Market Strategy has the goal of adapting our current Single Market rules to reflect the realities of a twenty-first century digital environment. The Strategy is made up of a wide range of initiatives, comprising cross-Government legislative and non-legislative measures, that support three key pillars:
-Simplifying access to digitisation for consumers and business
-Shaping the environment for digital networks and services to flourish, and
-Maximising the growth potential of the digital economy."

"Our active engagement in the Digital Single Market is an enabler of Ireland’s Digital Economy. The D9 Group provides an important forum through which the best practice and knowledge of like-minded member countries can be shared to greater effect," the minister said.

Ireland hosted the D9 group meeting last year. 2018 also saw Ireland move up to 6th position on the Digital Economy and Society Index , reflecting the huge advances that have been made in recent years.