Smart economy initiative not quite what it seems

IT was a case of smart economy, dumb Government yesterday.

Slumps always trigger a rush for the cover of easy escapism – hence the unexpected triumph of Slumdog Millionaire as the Western world’s economy started to slide south – and ministers showed a similar eagerness to pull a feel-good fantasy out of the flimsiest of story lines with their digital jobs report.

Dubbed the smart economy initiative, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan insisted we could create at least 30,000 jobs in the sector over the next decade, and anchored the document’s launch on Intune Networks taking on 350 workers.