Minister says optimism is increasing in ICT sector

Communications Minister Dermot Ahern said today there was an upswing in business in the information and communications technology sector (ICT).

Speaking at the official opening of ICT Expo in the RDS in Dublin, Minister Ahern said the market was emerging from three years of a downturn.

“There is increasing optimism out there and this is reflected in the experience of exhibitors at the Expo event,” he said.

The Minister said it was easy to overlook Ireland’s achievements in the sector - over 93,000 people in Ireland in over 4,000 enterprise companies, with Ireland the third largest exporter of software in the world and seven of the world’s leading software companies having a base in Ireland.

He also cited figures which shows one third of all PCs sold in Europe are manufactured in Ireland.

Total exports of ICT products and services amounted to €31bn in 2001 representing 33% of all exports.

The Minister said: “The ICT sector has been great for Ireland and Ireland has been good for the sector.

"The very fact that one in three of all our exports comes from the ICT sector speaks volumes about its strengths. We have people and companies with flair, innovation and enthusiasm operating in this sector. That is evident on the world stage.”

Expo runs at the RDS today and tomorrow.