A delegation of Irish telecommunications and software companies has spent this week in Israel, forging links with a country that is increasingly being compared to Silicon Valley due to the success of its many start-up software and Internet companies.

The Enterprise Ireland-sponsored delegation, due to return today, attended the Telecom Israel '98 show and met the Israeli Minister for Communications, Ms Limor Livnat, for three-quarters of an hour on Tuesday.

The delegation comprised representatives from: Logica Aldiscon, which develops mobile telephony software; Ericsson Systems Expertise, a training centre for the Swedish multinational; Eurologic, which specialises in disk storage; and Donegal-based Inflow Communications, which develops Intranet products.

Mr Tom Hayes of the industrial department in Enterprise Ireland, who along with the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Mr Zvi Gabay, accompanied the delegation, described the trip as a great success.

He said the meeting with Ms Livnat went "very, very well", describing her as someone who wanted trade development expanded.

Describing the trade show he said: "The [Irish] companies were very impressed with the whole dynamism of the place."