Whether it be 'Mac the knifes' cutting budgets, low end corporate tax rates, industrial incentives attracting FDI, demographics and gateway attributes, E.U funding or our plain old educated workforce the explanations for the Celtic Tiger remain as puzzling and endless as the bundle of reasons that depict our current economic performance. Is it a case of better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all or should we spare the morals and seek a firmer footing on which to re-launch our economy.
Analysing Celtic Tiger literature, the 'convenience factor' emanates frequently. Just as we should oppose the tendency to feel sorry for poor little Ireland amidst our recession, inducing memories of the 1980's and beyond, Policymakers must refocus efforts on establishing not the same factors that produced the boom, but the underlying attractions and varying conditions that facilitated investment. Spare the Celtic tiger idioms and glam of success and concentrate on making Ireland convenient again.
Demographics and education remain relatively similar and our corporation tax seems currently low enough to be a safe haven for British investors. Not being the cheap option of Europe in terms of manufacturing and market access appears a changing condition since the E.U's enlargement and is a more serious aspect of FDI attraction that requires addressing. Convenience factors however, predominately our environmentally friendly, low carbon based economy, and emphasise on high performance work systems could offer a future platform to 'marketing convenience'.
Short term objectives of cleansing bank balance sheets allowing the creation of a toxic bank, an option that many European countries are sceptical of, may go some way to stabilising and promoting a healthy banking system, thus attracting investment and providing scope for competitive edge. This pursuit however must be dealt with swiftly and accompanied with necessary recapitalisation.
Analysing Celtic Tiger literature, the 'convenience factor' emanates frequently. Just as we should oppose the tendency to feel sorry for poor little Ireland amidst our recession, inducing memories of the 1980's and beyond, Policymakers must refocus efforts on establishing not the same factors that produced the boom, but the underlying attractions and varying conditions that facilitated investment. Spare the Celtic tiger idioms and glam of success and concentrate on making Ireland convenient again.
Demographics and education remain relatively similar and our corporation tax seems currently low enough to be a safe haven for British investors. Not being the cheap option of Europe in terms of manufacturing and market access appears a changing condition since the E.U's enlargement and is a more serious aspect of FDI attraction that requires addressing. Convenience factors however, predominately our environmentally friendly, low carbon based economy, and emphasise on high performance work systems could offer a future platform to 'marketing convenience'.
Short term objectives of cleansing bank balance sheets allowing the creation of a toxic bank, an option that many European countries are sceptical of, may go some way to stabilising and promoting a healthy banking system, thus attracting investment and providing scope for competitive edge. This pursuit however must be dealt with swiftly and accompanied with necessary recapitalisation.
Will the boom be back? Only if we lay the seeds and market ourselves appropriately. The world may soon be open for business again, lets make sure we're competitive, find our niche and hope for our sake when things pick up investors won't want to shop at Lidl. Sounds simple but could be all to convenient...
