ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A RECEPTION AT ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN WEDNESDAY, 13 JUNE, 2001
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A RECEPTION AT ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN WEDNESDAY, 13 JUNE, 2001
Cuireann sé áthas mór orm agus ar m’fhear céile, Máirtin, fáilte a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin inniu.
Martin and I are delighted to welcome each one of you to Áras an Uachtaráin and on this day to take a little time to acknowledge the contribution you and those you represent have made to the economic success story that is modern Ireland. I extend a special welcome to the Chairman, board members and staff of IDA Ireland who have played a key part in seed-bedding, sustaining and developing an environment which promoted and produced significant inward investment and helped Ireland to shape a future of achievement, of opportunity, a future to be proud of.
In this room are gathered men and women from representing the spectrum of overseas companies now rooted in Ireland. Your reach extends to all parts of Ireland and to every sector of enterprise and you are part of a remarkable story of transformation. Ireland is the country which missed the first industrial revolution by several Irish miles distance but the evidence is in that we ambushed and captured the second industrial revolution. Thanks to many of you Ireland iscarving out strong niches in the world economy in the financial services sector and more recently in the e-business sector, promising a new era of sustained economic growth. Indeed electronics generally account for over one third of Irish exports with almost one third of all PCs sold in Europe made in Ireland. Also, according to the OECD, Ireland has surpassed the United States to become the biggest software exporting country in the world.
Much of this success is because successive governments have focused on creating the conditions for business and entrepreneurship to thrive. The social partnership approach in particular has facilitated the creation of a unique alliance between unions, employers, farmers and Government, coupled with a professional and talented labour force.
Of crucial importance in this success has also been the investment in the education of our young people and their participation in third level education. You have provided some of the greatest opportunities for these young people, providing them with, challenging and rewarding work in some of the most innovative companies in the world, many of whom have gone on to create new companies of their own – seedbedding the next generation of creativity and success.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of IDA Ireland, its Board and employees, for their hard work and dedication to delivering growth and success to the Irish economy. From the outside looking in, both here in Ireland and when I travel overseas, I see the mark of IDA in many places and hear so often about your work. Over the past decade, you have broken your own records in delivering results and have demonstrated great initiative and flexibility in maximising Irish potential. By blending the best of our past with modern innovation and technology you have helped to transform not only our economic landscape, but the outlook of Irish people into a confident, self-assured, and innovative nation.
In acknowledging the role of the various international and indigenous corporations – the leaders, the managers, and the risk-takers who so often go unrecognised and unsung, I use the words of the American poet, Dwight Morrow, who said that “The World is divided into people who do things and people who get the credit; try to belong to the first class – there’s far less competition”. You are the ‘doers’ - people who are transforming Ireland into a society of energy and vision, and whose judgement is being rewarded with the success that we all enjoy. That success is in turn building up our self-confidence – our national self-esteem – and our readiness to adapt to change.
The new Ireland is an exciting and rapidly changing place. Our young population is enthusiastic in embracing change and well able to handle the challenges, coming to the labour force as they do, armed with the skills and knowledge endowed through the excellent second and third level educational institutions. We are also rapidly becoming a multicultural society, with many new overseas workers coming to work in your companies. You, as employers, can make an important contribution to ensuring that they settle in well and are enabled to contribute and to benefit fully from Ireland’s prosperity. I look forward to this new Ireland: content in itself, because it has learned to share the wealth of its economy, its culture and its learning.
This event here today is a way of saying thank you for all of your hard work and commitment. I hope it will be a memorable occasion for all of you – a chance to meet others, to exchange experiences and views. Most of all, above and beyond that business networking at which you are all so adept – I hope that you will enjoy yourselves and the music provided by our harpist, Deirdre Seaver, and also The City Gents.
Mo bhuíochas libh arís as bhur gcuid oibre. Go maire sibh.