Talented people are the main determinant of economic success in a globalised world. Increasingly, it is the location of this talent that attracts investment, rather than the other way around. In competing for global investment and scaling its indigenous enterprise, Ireland has differentiated itself through its success in attracting and developing talented people. This comes in many forms including highly skilled migrants from within the EU and educated workers from outside the union (two-thirds of whom have a third level qualification). Ireland’s talent pool has also swelled with returning emigrants and an exceptionally highly educated local workforce.

To sustain Ireland’s economic success and remain attractive to local and global mobile talent pools, the country must offer a good place to both live and work. Unfortunately, following a period of economic recession and under-investment, severe problems are emerging in terms of housing affordability and supply, rising congestion, and inadequate education and healthcare. 

Providing solutions to these problems and building on the enormous opportunity our economic success has created are at the heart of Ibec’s Better Lives, Better Business campaign. For prosperity and quality of life to go hand in hand, we need to build an Ireland that better manages economic growth and demographic change.