Creating Regional Wealth in the Innovation Economy: Models, Perspectives, and Best Practices

Chapter 6. National Government Directing the Growth of Ireland

For the past 150 years, since the advent of the Great Famine, Ireland's major export was its people, who fled the country for their own survival and for a better future for their children. The continuing emigration threatened Ireland's economic and political independence. This pattern of heavy emigration persisted until the 1970s. Ireland has since transformed itself from a predominantly agricultural society to a high-tech, high-income society with more than 50% of its GDP in the service sector, 56% in 1998.^[1] Agriculture now makes up a mere 5% of GDP, and industry comprises the remaining 39%.

Since 1994, Ireland has experienced a stunning economic performance, growing at the rate ...