Web Summit loss - Blow to morale

THE announcement that the Web Summit is no longer to be based in Dublin, instead moving to Lisbon next year, is very disappointing though hardly surprising.

Nonetheless, it will be a huge loss not only to Dublin, but to Ireland as a whole, and not simply in terms of the massive economic loss to the capital.

It is also a very significant morale blow, being, as it was, at the dynamic cutting edge of that particular techno-stratosphere occupied by the likes of Google and Facebook.

Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave was loud in his criticism of the wifi deficiencies at last year’s summit at the RDS and the event was previously embarrassed by a water shortage in the capital — two circumstances which should serve as a stark warning when our political leaders contemplate future economic development.

Mr Cosgrave was keen not to focus on historic problems with the summit, insisting it had outgrown Dublin and had to be held in a city with greater capacity, but it is difficult not to think that essentials such as water and wifi did not influence his decision.