Stop telling ourselves software export myths

Senator Deirdre Clune repeats the same old myth that “Ireland is the second largest software exporter in the world” (“Ireland can be the Silicon Valley of Europe”, Jan 25).

Most of this software is actually designed and developed outside of the state by multinationals. It is then slightly altered, localised or fine-tuned in Ireland and resold onto European markets as an Irish export. If the senator wishes to examine the real reasons why the Irish software sector is under-performing despite huge potential, then she should ask why so many indigenous companies seem to have problems scaling up to European or even global level.

She could examine why they often do not get awarded lucrative public sector contracts, how multinationals outbid them for talent and how any mildly successful indigenous companies often sell up as soon as possible instead of having a viable long term growth plan. Let us please stop telling ourselves these myths.