Charlie McCreevy, Minister for finance

Unlike most European countries, Ireland has no industrial revolution skeletons in its closet to weigh down the economy. The people left the potato fields andstepped directly into cutting-edge research centers and laboratories. This country of tradition is burgeoning with new influences generated by its inclusion into the European Union in 1973. "Joining the European Community was a very significant decision," explained Sean Dorgan, chief executive officer of the Industrial Development Agency (IDA). "Not only in terms of market accessibility or fiscal transfers but restating Ireland's position in the global community and within Europe in particular."

The government encourages entrepreneurial activity and aims to stimulate the economy further through their policy of privatization. The recent flotation of the state telecommunications company proved a well-managed boost to the economy. Several banks are being considered for sale and the government is discussing the privatization of state-owned airports, airlines and ports. Dublin's stock exchange has been one of the world's best performing markets over the past two years. To top it all off, one of Ireland's greatest attributes remains its people. Human innovation has been a vital quality in all areas of the growing economy. Ireland also holds a linguistic advantage of being an easy-going English-speaking country where communication barriers are considered to be the minimum. The investment in education that was a main focus in the 60s also bearing fruit. Ireland's hardworking, educated youth offer a key demographic asset.

Dr. James McDaid, minister for tourism sports and recreation.

The Halfpenny Bridge on the River Liffey in Dublin

For many years, the key measure of IDA performance was the number of new jobs that they managed to generate from their investments. Now, instead of bringing in large companies to provide employment, the IDA must meet the challenges that accompany economic maturity and build on Ireland's achievements. With its economic framework in place, Ireland is ready to take the next step and work toward improving its resilience and adaptability to the ever-changing demands of the world market. Economic analysts believe that Ireland can sustain future prosperity as long as the foundations are firm enough to withstand the precarious course of fluctuating global economic conditions.

A hub for e-business:
Interview with Mary Harney, deputy prime minister and minister for enterprise trade and employment of Ireland

WER: How would you characterize the present state of the Irish economy?

We're in uncharted waters at the moment. We've never been here before. We have huge budget surpluses and we have net immigration; 1,000 people a week are coming to live in Ireland. We're building 1,000 new houses a week. On an annual basis, total construction is equivalent to a city the size of Cork, our second largest city.

We're creating a thousand new jobs weekly. We were an agricultural-based economy 30 years ago; now we're a high technology-based economy. We're the third biggest exporting country in the world on a per-capita basis, excluding the oil-producing countries, and we are the second biggest exporter, in absolute terms, of software after the U.S. Of all PCs sold in Europe, 33 percent are made in Ireland. Approximately 60 percent of the business application software sold in Europe is also made in Ireland.

We have really transformed our economy. We want to make Ireland a hub for e-business in Europe and we recently commissioned a project to enable the delivery of broadband capacity communications. We've privatized our telecommunication companies and we've liberalized telecommunications to bring new players into the market.

Mary Harney, deputy prime minister for enterprise, trade and employment

WER: To what would you attribute the success of Ireland? I think that we caught up to where we should have been anyway. Membership in the European Union clearly was a major positive factor. It gave us a huge market for a rather small country. We export nearly 80 percent of what we produce and our total trade volume is 133 percent of our GNP. The focus of our trade has shifted away from trade primarily with Britain Over 70 percent of our trade is with the EU. Much of the revenue acquired through the EU we've put into education. Investment in education and the quality of education is a primary concern for us. We have very low corporate taxes and other policies which are attractive to businesses.

WER: Who are your major trading partners outside Europe?

After Europe, the US is our second-largest trading partner, accounting for 12 percent of our trade, followed by Asia at 9 percent.

We have a new strategy for Asia on which I've worked for the past few months. We're developing trade offices in Shanghai and going to spend about half million punts a year in Asia for the next couple of years to market Ireland and the advantages of investing in Ireland. We want to increase awareness of Ireland in Asia and increase trade links between Asian and Irish companies both ways. We have some Japanese companies with operations here but feel we could attract more Japanese investment. I along with other representatives visited Japan last January and believe that we have many advantages to offer Japanese investors.

WER: What about Irish outward investment?

A lot of our companies are small. In the software sector, half of the jobs are provided by indigenous companies operating in the US American companies can work with the Irish companies as a means to enter Europe. Our companies have license and partnership arrangements with companies in the US , and we're looking to set up these types of arrangements with companies in Asia as well. Our larger companies have various operations abroad. A lot of investment has been made in Britain, continental Europe and America, as well as in Asia. Some of our banks, like Allied Irish Banks for instance, have a global presence as well.

WER: How are you managing your economic gains in terms of infrastructure development?

In terms of our national development, we'll be getting a lot less money from Brussels because our per capita income has surpassed that of the European average. In addition to development planned through the EU money, we have our own national plan in which we intend to invest a great deal.

Unfortunately, despite having a first-rate dynamic economy, we still have a third-rate infrastructure in terms of roads. We're going to find a way to overcome the jurisdictional divisions involving road production and commission the work as a single project. This will eliminate a lot of the bureaucracy. We have a private and public partnerships for these projects. We may have Japanese company develop our light rail system in Dublin. We want to do this as quickly as possible and we need to find new ways to approach these projects.

We know that we must develop our infrastructure in order to remain competitive. This includes investment in education. We also encourage life-long learning.

WER: How actively do you encourage expatriates to return?

Very much. The training agency has a big campaign abroad to encourage Irish people back. Enterprise Ireland, a government sponsored organization, is running a campaign in the US where there are many highly educated Irish people.

In general, Irish people who left are in constant with Ireland and they are familiar with what is happening here. Many of them are returning to start a business. We have set up a millennium fund to give people who have a good business idea the money to come back and start it.

WER: How will Ireland sustain its growth over the next five to 10 years?

I don't know if we can sustain the kind of growth we've had recently. It will level off somehow. However, Ireland will remain a very strong knowledge-based economy. We will move higher and higher up the value chain. Ireland missed the last industrial revolution. We didn't have coal or steel. But now we have silicon, software and brainpower. Intellectual capacity will allow us to compete aggressively in the future. On top of that we have a strong tourist industry, and when peace comes to Northern Ireland, we will be able to grow even more.

Landscapes and conviviality: The Irish brand of hospitality

Dublin is heading for another record year in tourism with a growth of over 10 percent for the second consecutive year according to the Chamber of Commerce. Airlines have posted a record number of people travelling in and out of Ireland.

"In the last ten years, we have increased visitors from 1.3 million to 8 million," stated Dr. James McDaid, Minister of Tourism. John T. Dully, chief executive of the Irish Tourist Board, the Bord Fáilte, also highlighted the increase of internal traffic.

"People have a lot more money in their pockets in Ireland, thus have a greater propensity and financial capacity to holiday two or three times a year" he explained. This has resulted in the extension of the season from February to November. Ireland is starting to become a popular destination for leisure travelers and culture is a magnet to visitors. The island has a strong literary tradition and is home to many authors like James Joyce and W.B. Yeats. Museums, tours and conferences revering these literary masters have always been central to Ireland's attractions.

The Irish are very musically inclined people and bands from Ireland have gained worldwide recognition. The band U2, for one, have millions of fans and have toured the world serving as goodwill ambassadors from Ireland. Traditional Irish music has grown in appeal and crossed borders worldwide too.

Tourists regularly swarm to the lively pubs and listen to Irish tunes and melodies generated by the fiddles, uilleann pipes, bagpipes, harps, tin whistles and bodhran drums. Traditional dance has been revived as a prominent creative outlet. A prime example is the Riverdance troop that toured the world and was a raving success. In Japan in particular, the Riverdance performances attracted 70,000 spectators and prompted 10 minutes of standing ovation. Ireland also presents an array of historical institutions, castles and museums.

A Viking tour in Dublin, accompanied by a visit of Trinity College to view one of the oldest and no doubt most lavishly illuminated manuscripts of all times, the Book of Kells takes visitors way back to the roots of Irish civilization. Otherwise, the medieval Bunratty Castle and aristocratic Malahide Castle are notable spots of interest for admirers of the time past. Festivals abound in Ireland as celebrations of culture, art and fun. The Galway Arts Festival, for example, hosts musicians, performers and visual artists of every kind. St. Patrick's Day has become a four-day festival in Dublin with young and exciting performances that celebrate the traditional values of Ireland as well as a new image of the nation as players on the world stage.

As Dully described: "We're ready to marry a sad past with an exciting future and take a leap forward. We're planning major cultural events in the next year or two in Dublin, marrying the old and the new." Ireland's countryside boasts of unsurpassed beauty that must be seen and not described. The West Coast of Ireland abounds with breathtaking landscapes of cliffs and beaches, rolling hills of forests, streams and pastures. Dully stressed the importance of preserving rural life: "We want to improve the fabric of rural life in terms of how it looks, the heritage, the past, our history." So visitors can rest assured that despite the industrial development of the country, keeping the nature unspoiled is a priority.

The number of new hotels and tourist attractions that have been developed in recent years has been phenomenal. New hotels are opening constantly. Estimates show that up to 30 new hotels have been opened a year since 1998. There is a wide range of accommodations from elegant yet cozy Victorian Townhouses to simple yet homey bed and breakfasts. Big international hotel chains such as Westin, Radisson SAS, Meridien, Holiday Inn and Stakis, soon to be rebranded as a Hilton, are represented.

Among the popular hotels in Dublin are The Jury's Hotel and Towers and the luxurious Shelbourne Hotel, situated in the center of Dublin near the largest cultivated garden in Europe, St. Stephen's Green.

A level of difference

The four-star Stakis Hotel, soon to be rebranded as a Hilton Hotel, is another ideal location for visitors to Dublin. The takeover is one that General Manager Patrick Stapleton of the present Stakis Hotel is looking forward to. As he said, "the Hilton name will consolidate everything and this brings us up to a whole different level." The Stakis is a familiar name in the UK while Hilton is internationally recognized. The Stakis/Hilton Hotel was opened in 1997 and is located right along the Grand Canal, which is the southern perimeter of the inner city. The rooms overlooking the canal have a pleasant view. St. Stephen's Green is a mere 10 minutes away. The facilities are convenient and very appropriate for the tourist traffic the hotel caters to. Guests have free access to a safe underground parking lot.

During the week, the hotel is primarily occupied by travelers on business trips unlike the weekends, where the hotel fills up with leisure tourists who come to take a break in Dublin. The 189 rooms are spacious and comfortable. They are furnished with appropriate amenities that easily convert the room into office space. Some business executive rooms are equipped with a PC (capable of providing unlimited web access), a fax machine and printer. The hotel also has meeting rooms, which can accommodate up to 300 people. The hotel has a lovely Waterfront Restaurant that offers buffet breakfasts every morning. The lively Champion Sports Bar is a great place to cool down after work and is a special place of interest for sports fans. Sports events can be watched on large screens and during given seasons, the place is crowded with cheering spectators. On certain days of the week, there is a barbecue that is set up in the courtyard outside the bar. A good burger or ribs, fresh off the grill, is a welcome change to anyone's diet. Like the hotel, the staff is young and welcoming. They respond to the guests every demand and make them feel at home. The complimentary cookies and tea or coffee in the room adds to the pleasant stay at the Hilton. This four-star Hilton is convenient, comfortable and highly recommended for corporate travelers. An important advantage of being part of the Hilton chain is, as Stapleton explained: "People are able to make reservations for all the Hilton and the associated Hilton hotels through the Hilton worldwide reservation system." So anywhere in the world, guests can pre-arrange rooms in the Hilton and travel reassured, knowing that a lovely room with comprehensive facilities awaits them.

A learning experience

Another option is the recently converted 132-year old St. Stephen's Parochial School. This hotel offers 30 en-suite spacious bedrooms and a master-suite. The Schoolhouse Hotel exudes an intimate ambiance and retains much of the character of the original building. The Inkwell Bar is a marvelously popular place for both guests and the local young professionals wanting a 'pint' after a day in one of the hundreds of professional townhouse offices in the neighborhood. The bar is so popular that patrons usually flow out and on to the sun terrace and gardens. The Satchels Restaurant offers dining in style with tasty cuisine and a crackling fireplace warming the atmosphere. The city center is an easy 15-minute walk and there is practical DART station within 5 minutes. The staff is friendly making this a happy home away from home. The Butler did it! A unique experience can be found at Butler's Town House in the posh south end of the city. This elegant Victorian Townhouse reminds guests of a time gone by, when the personal touch was truly the norm. From the marvelously appointed bedrooms, to the personally prepared breakfast, this hotel spoils you from the moment you walk in. The elegant drawing room offers a plethora of literary works. The 'Honesty Bar' is a perfect place to unwind after a hectic day of meetings. For a truly special experience in Dublin, visitors are encouraged to try it out.

The verdict is out

Discriminate travelers who look for the best in accommodations usually hold court at the Jurys Hotel and Towers. Just a few blocks down Pembroke Road in Ballsbridge sits Dublin's landmark hotel. Upon entering the lobby, one immediately feels the international 'buzz' of the hotel, giving guests the chance to experience a very cosmopolitan ambiance in a very Irish environment. Currently Dublin's largest five-star hotel, with over 300 rooms, Jurys offers well-appointed rooms with ample workspace and comforts. The elegant rooms are fully furnished and include marble-tiled bathrooms, hairdryers, trouser-presses and pay per view TV. A 24-hour room service is also available. Everything one needs is within reach. Just recently, Jurys Hotel and Towers, was named Business and Finance Magazine's "Business Hotel of the Year" for 1999 in Georgina Campbell's Tipperary Water Guide to Ireland. The award was presented for "its extensive business services, high quality social facilities and friendly and helpful staff". Jurys hotel, located in one of the city's most exclusive business and residential districts, is also a perfect property for business meetings and conferences. The staff is well-versed in catering to the needs of the business traveler and will help make your meeting a seamless one. The hotel offers a variety of multi-purpose venues from the Grand Ballroom, which can handle up to 850 in theatre style, to the executive styled Redwood Suites for board meetings. The facilities offer all the audio-visual technologies needed to make your meeting a success. Good dining and the pub life are integral parts of Dublin. The Jurys Hotel reflects well this philosophy which is why the food and beverage outlets are popular spots for both local business people and guests alike. The hotel has three restaurants - ranging from the elegant Raglans Restaurant to the informal Coffee Dock that is open 23 hours a day. Visitors that want to unwind can lift their Guiness pints, toast with the locals and enjoy the lively atmosphere of a traditional Irish pub right inside the hotel. The pub is located just off the main lobby but should guests opt for a quiet evening, they can relax and enjoy a cocktail in the mellow surroundings of the Jurys cozy lounge right beside the coffee shop. Guests of the Jurys Hotel and Towers need not look any further to experience true Irish hospitality and tradition.

TOP

HOME  About Us  Careers  Contact Us  Reports  Advertisers  About Japan Times

© 1999 World Eye Reports