Irish Examiner view: A cluster we can be proud of

A Cork-based group has been helping to develop a valuable ICT cluster in the South-West.

The group, it@cork, has been awarded the prestigious European industrial cluster quality standard 'BRONZE Label — Striving for Cluster Excellence'. File picture: iStock

Since March, the word ‘cluster’ has been associated with one thing only — but in the IT business sector, clusters are a growing and essential element of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

It is within that community in Europe that a Cork-based not-for-profit independent business organisation has just scooped a major EU award. 

The group, it@cork, which represents the interests of the IT industry in Ireland, has been awarded the prestigious European industrial cluster quality standard 'BRONZE Label — Striving for Cluster Excellence' by the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA).

This award, which is supported by the European Commission, has been made in recognition of the work being undertaken by it@cork in the development and implementation of an ICT cluster in the South-West. 

There are 3,000 such clusters in Europe, accounting for 54m jobs. The organisation deserves our congratulations and our thanks, as the ICT sector is likely to play a major role in the rejuvenation of our economy in the months and years ahead.