Government and policymakers can't tell their blogs from their Bebo. Meanwhile we're missing out on a major opportunity, writes Martin Murphy
A lthough the economy no longer roars as it once did, the fundamentals remain strong and Ireland is still a great place to do business. Proud of how far we have come, we must continually plan for the future and explore how Ireland can position itself to stay relevant as new trends develop and begin to sweep across the globe.
International research has shown that in the developing global economy the competition for investment capital and the most talented workers will not be between countries but between city regions.
To compete, a city will have to be able to attract and retain capital and talent that can literally choose anywhere on the planet to settle and develop. Cities that want to be successful in doing this will need to demonstrate clearly that they are in tune with the needs of the information society. In short, they will need to become "knowledge cities".
We will be hearing a lot about the concept of the knowledge city in the future but it is relatively new to Ireland. Regrettably, at Government level it remains a concept and our policymakers have yet to show that they can tell their blogs from their Bebo, so to speak.
Irish business and education leaders know they cannot afford to wait, and working together under the aegis of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce they have come to the conclusion that a co-ordinated and concerted plan is required, taking as its inspiration the Whitaker policy designed in 1958. They also believe that among Irish cities, only Dublin currently has the potential, in terms of resources, skills, people and infrastructure, to develop as a knowledge city.
Their thinking has been brought together in the recently launched Dublin Chamber report, Developing a Knowledge City Region: A Ten-Point Plan. It describes 10 initiatives to ensure Dublin plays a pivotal role in Ireland's development as an information society. These steps will also demonstrate to the world that Dublin is right up there with Zurich, Singapore and Boston as a location where talent and innovation can thrive.
While the 10 points are not a magic bullet, they are intended to get the ball rolling and begin to establish science and technology, as well as a culture of innovation and creativity, in the fabric of the city.
They aim to ensure that every child will live in a home that can connect to the latest telecommunications networks and that has access to the equipment needed to utilise them. All children should be able to attend an education system that begins with a strong early learning structure and has ICT at its core throughout.
The 10 points also aim to ensure that the residents of the city can access the internet as they move around, and that they work in companies that have the support they need to compete in the global economy. To this end the report recommends carefully targeted tax incentives, grants and training schemes to help companies to recruit and retain key workers, recognising the increasing relevance of a dynamic small and medium enterprise sector. Ask someone who works in science, engineering or technology why they chose that profession and they will invariably point to a moment in their childhood that sparked a lifelong interest in the world around them. The report recommends the establishment of a world-class science museum to inspire more of these priceless moments. Another important initiative is the introduction of WiFi across Dublin's public transport network, enabling workers to leave the office and emphasising the importance of the public transport network, which is due to undergo massive expansion in the coming years.
Access to technology across the social divide is critical to ensuring that Ireland can tap into the talents of as many of our young people as possible and to bring the benefits of the global knowledge economy to all. To achieve this, the report has recommended that the Government introduce a VAT-free scheme for the purchase of PCs.
It is all too easy to fall back into traditional cynicism and say Dublin is too expensive and lacking on this or that front and it could never compete with the world's great cities. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to pull back and to look at the city from an outsider's perspective.
Ask someone from another country why they live here and you may be surprised at how positive about Dublin they are. Record numbers of workers and tourists are coming to the city every year and surveys have consistently shown that Dublin is one of the best cities in Europe to live and work in.
The potential is there and the foundations have been laid; now it is up to Government to take the challenge of the global knowledge economy seriously and set our capital city on the way to being among the world's premier knowledge cities.
Martin Murphy is managing director of HP Ireland and chairman of the Knowledge Economy Committee at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce