'A talented and flexible workforce is our trump card'
Peter O’Neill (the managing director of IBM Ireland) said yesterday that Ireland continues to “punch above its weight” in attracting US investment, but added that the country’s competitive progress is being continually eroded by a lack of investment in the areas of education and training.
“A competitive tax regime is only one element of our offering to inward investors,” Mr O’Neill noted. “Another key component to Ireland’s proposition is its young, talented and flexible workforce. This is very much a trump card in relation to inward investment. We need to develop and retain talent, as well as attract talent from overseas,” he added. “Ireland has an open economy, is very dependent on global markets, and much of our recovery to date has been export-led. While the Government must exert its influence within Europe to ensure a stable eurozone and the survival of the euro, we need to focus on the issues within our control at home which can be used to support both a competitive indigenous sector and the multinational companies operating within Ireland.”
