News From Ireland

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Many Irish Americans know nothing about modern Ireland. They only remember tales told by the first generation about the poverty and hunger in the 1800’s.

The columnist, Thomas Friedman, has a very different story in today’s paper. Ireland is the second richest country in the European Union. Instead of Irish emigrating in search of work, the labor force has doubled in 15 years. There are now 200,000 foreigners working in the republic. 50,000 of these are Chinese! Computer and pharmaceutical companies with high paying jobs are attracted by the well educated, English speaking labor force.

When secondary education was made free in the late 1960’s. it resulted in this economic miracle. Since 1996, university education is free
 
Is the headline “God Continues to Bless the Irish in New and Exciting Ways”? 😃 Where are you…in what paper does Friedman’s article appear/or/do you have a link?
 
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gksaoh:
Many Irish Americans know nothing about modern Ireland. They only remember tales told by the first generation about the poverty and hunger in the 1800’s.

The columnist, Thomas Friedman, has a very different story in today’s paper. Ireland is the second richest country in the European Union. Instead of Irish emigrating in search of work, the labor force has doubled in 15 years. There are now 200,000 foreigners working in the republic. 50,000 of these are Chinese! Computer and pharmaceutical companies with high paying jobs are attracted by the well educated, English speaking labor force.

When secondary education was made free in the late 1960’s. it resulted in this economic miracle. Since 1996, university education is free
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I work in IT, and about 5 years I was telling my fellow workers about this. They all pooh-poohed it and looked at me like I was crazy. Sometime later, I had received some memory for a computer, looked at the sticker and lo and behold- it said Made in Ireland. I just smiled.
Thanks, now I know I wasn’t crazy.
 
Not to burst the bubble here but… you better be quick if you want some of the action.

This success is a combination of Europe money, being in the Euro zone, Irish Fiscal policy and a good education system and being in the Anglophone zone. The tax breaks that the Irish Finance ministry give it, plus access to European Community money for economic regeneration has led to many world-class Corporations having factories and offices in Ireland. Being on the edge of one of the world’s largest economies (European Community) is good for business. Intel have their largest manufacturing facility in Ireland, and Athlon also.

But the tax breaks are coming to an end. Governments are only allowed to give them for so long, and with the expansion of the Euro community to 25 nations, many now much poorer than Ireland the Brussells subsidies are already going east.

When those tax breaks end I am willing to bet that Intel and others will be off to China pretty smartish.

And lets not forget that the improvements in affluence of the population has led to massive falling away from the Church and a rapid Secularisation of Irish society. Other reasons for that as well of course (priest scandals, religious orders scandals, so on) but the main damage has been done by the economy. When IKEA, a well known furnishings chain in Europe, opened an outlet in Dublin on a Sunday the roads were packed for miles around while the churches were nearly empty.
 
I agree with your points Cockney Clive,

Ireland is a much worse place with all this affluence, but IKEA have not opened a store. They have only just got planning approval, but you can bet your life the already traffic jammed roads will be even more blocked when they open it.

Shopping and accumulation of wealth is the new religion in Ireland.
 
Scott Waddell:
That’s the government mindset: If it moves, tax and regulate it. When it stops moving due to the taxes and regulation, subsidize it. :rolleyes:

Scott
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What’s shocking about this is the implication that other nations can force a country to raise taxes and choke off its economy. It’s somehow “unfair” to have low taxes, and lean, efficient government.
 
The last time I was in Ireland (2000, my honeymoon) we were heading to stay in County Wicklow. Thing is we were calling from Waterford and we had to make it there by 10pm . We did, and asked where we could eat. Turns out there was a little Chinese restaurant in a hotel nearby. It was as good as I’ve ever gotten in the States. So there my wife and I were in the Sunny Southeast of Ireland chowing down on different cuisine.

Hmm.

John
 
Sorry, I stand corrected Nanor. Have Irish passport; need to get out more!
 
This Irishman, living in county Kildare, is having much fun watching the comments coming in. Keep them coming!!!

I love to see the thoughts of those in far off distant lands on Ireland and it present situation.

I’ll stand back and watch for a while then I will respond!
 
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Fergal:
This Irishman, living in county Kildare, is having much fun watching the comments coming in. Keep them coming!!!

I love to see the thoughts of those in far off distant lands on Ireland and it present situation.

I’ll stand back and watch for a while then I will respond!
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Oooooh, Fergal. We had a thread closed down you know, because a couple of tiffs broke out. And I agree with the moderator: it was just unsalvageable. I hope no further tiffs break out on our little thread here. I have given myself a week to cool off and then I will ask you all and the moderators how we should proceed.

Basically I think we should talk about the changes, but there are barriers to doing so. What I am suggesting is that the moderators participate in a thread with us – they can guide that thread and keep us away from he said / she said – and more focussed on looking at the facts, putting forward suggestions, discussing those suggestions, and moving on with optimism, confidence, courage, and good will.

But this post is a bit of a hijack. We can discuss this in a week. Meanwhile back to our tea and soda bread.
 
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