Sure it was best for Dell to move and price would have played a huge part in it.
In the 1990s Dell saw us as a good place for their business. Now that is no longer the case.

Thats our problem. We are no longer profitable for inward investment.
All this talk about indigenous industry and the knowledge economy is pie in the sky with a low population, most of which are not interested in science or engineering degrees. We are not the UK or the US which can churn out a million graduates a year, where if even 1% turn out to be creative for the economy, that is still a significant number.

Respvblica wrote:

Sure it was best for Dell to move and price would have played a huge part in it.
In the 1990s Dell saw us as a good place for their business. Now that is no longer the case.

Thats our problem. We are no longer profitable for inward investment.
All this talk about indigenous industry and the knowledge economy is pie in the sky with a low population, most of which are not interested in science or engineering degrees. We are not the UK or the US which can churn out a million graduates a year, where if even 1% turn out to be creative for the economy, that is still a significant number.

I do not think talking about the need for domestic industry is pie in the sky. Switzerland has a population of 7.4 million. It is not a big country. Yet it has companies which are global leaders in their field. Nestlé, ABB and Novartis immediately come to mind. There are many other large companies like Holcim, Zurich Insurance, Swiss Re and others which earn big time for the Swiss economy. Where are ours???

Slim Buddha wrote:

Respvblica wrote:

Sure it was best for Dell to move and price would have played a huge part in it.
In the 1990s Dell saw us as a good place for their business. Now that is no longer the case.

Thats our problem. We are no longer profitable for inward investment.
All this talk about indigenous industry and the knowledge economy is pie in the sky with a low population, most of which are not interested in science or engineering degrees. We are not the UK or the US which can churn out a million graduates a year, where if even 1% turn out to be creative for the economy, that is still a significant number.

I do not think talking about the need for domestic industry is pie in the sky. Switzerland has a population of 7.4 million. It is not a big country. Yet it has companies which are global leaders in their field. Nestlé, ABB and Novartis immediately come to mind. There are many other large companies like Holcim, Zurich Insurance, Swiss Re and others which earn big time for the Swiss economy. Where are ours???

If we had a more accountable system like Switzerlands, then maybe we could increase our efficency by becomming more transparent and effectivce. The problem with Ireland is that people are not really involved at the local or national level.

Switzerland though is run by its people. Ireland is run by people who are interested in their own political survival.

I do believe, and this is an article of faith for me, that the more democratic and representative a system is for its people the more prosperous it becomes. I've studied management types, and if you want people to flourish and be creative you must give them the power to make decisions for themselves and not alway subcontract it out to someone else. Running a country is not the same, to be sure, but there is a link.

Slim Buddha wrote:

Respvblica wrote:

Sure it was best for Dell to move and price would have played a huge part in it.
In the 1990s Dell saw us as a good place for their business. Now that is no longer the case.

Thats our problem. We are no longer profitable for inward investment.
All this talk about indigenous industry and the knowledge economy is pie in the sky with a low population, most of which are not interested in science or engineering degrees. We are not the UK or the US which can churn out a million graduates a year, where if even 1% turn out to be creative for the economy, that is still a significant number.

I do not think talking about the need for domestic industry is pie in the sky. Switzerland has a population of 7.4 million. It is not a big country. Yet it has companies which are global leaders in their field. Nestlé, ABB and Novartis immediately come to mind. There are many other large companies like Holcim, Zurich Insurance, Swiss Re and others which earn big time for the Swiss economy. Where are ours???

CRH, Ryanair & Smurfit Kappa are all world leaders in their markets. Maybe Elan too some day. I know living here it is difficult to imagine we do anything well when we look at the incompetent halfwits who lead us, but really there is no reason we couldn't be more like Switzerland and less like Uzbekistan.

Quote :

Ireland is run by people who are interested in their own political survival

This is very true. I would like to see someone write up an intepretation of the Government's actions and inactions on the economic crisis purely in terms of election planning and vote manipulation.

Cowen still has his eyes primarily on how to pull off the next General Election.

cactus flower wrote:

Quote :

Ireland is run by people who are interested in their own political survival

This is very true. I would like to see someone write up an intepretation of the Government's actions and inactions on the economic crisis purely in terms of election planning and vote manipulation.

Cowen still has his eyes primarily on how to pull off the next General Election.

I agree and I think it would be very worthwhile. If only I had some time I would try my hand at it.
Our system is anti-republican in that it forces elected represntatives to worry about the election. I see Cowen's attitude though as being completely normal for any person in his particular position. If he werent to concentrate about elections he wouldnt be in power and someone else who did would be in his place.
The aim of the republic is that the people can express their soverign will as equal citizens. This is not accomplished with the present single house parliamentary system. Our system forces people to become Cowens and Aherns.

coc wrote:

Slim Buddha wrote:

Respvblica wrote:

Sure it was best for Dell to move and price would have played a huge part in it.
In the 1990s Dell saw us as a good place for their business. Now that is no longer the case.

Thats our problem. We are no longer profitable for inward investment.
All this talk about indigenous industry and the knowledge economy is pie in the sky with a low population, most of which are not interested in science or engineering degrees. We are not the UK or the US which can churn out a million graduates a year, where if even 1% turn out to be creative for the economy, that is still a significant number.

I do not think talking about the need for domestic industry is pie in the sky. Switzerland has a population of 7.4 million. It is not a big country. Yet it has companies which are global leaders in their field. Nestlé, ABB and Novartis immediately come to mind. There are many other large companies like Holcim, Zurich Insurance, Swiss Re and others which earn big time for the Swiss economy. Where are ours???

CRH, Ryanair & Smurfit Kappa are all world leaders in their markets. Maybe Elan too some day. I know living here it is difficult to imagine we do anything well when we look at the incompetent halfwits who lead us, but really there is no reason we couldn't be more like Switzerland and less like Uzbekistan.

Ryanair's market is European but I take your point. Ok we have a couple, none in the high tech sector, nothing in financial services and our biotechnology/medical research branch is small. We need to grow areas where we can develop an advantage, or an existing edge, and make those industries strong through intelligent policy development. We can do this. We are not a stupid people, except at general election time.

We should start participating in European joint ventures, maybe not things like Airbus yet, but we should be alert to what other partners would like to do, then give a grant to a unniversity to do some investigation.

Maybe to use an example we could give some money to the Trinity Mech Eng department to examine the stresses and strains caused by flutter and negative feedback of oncoming winds for aeroplane wings? there used to be talent in that area once upon a time. I hope our blessed rulers are at least finding out what our scientists are up to.

They could facilitate science and business links and finance them. Whats on offer at the moment? I know there are EU grants but its not much.