Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The World Economic Forum, WEF, Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, ranks Ireland 22nd overall, the same score recorded for 2007-08 and 2006-07. Ireland was ranked 30th in 2003 and 2004. Achieving 22nd place out of 134 global economies is not a negative scoring for a small economy such as Ireland.

The World Economic Forum ranks countries according to 110 indicators. Within this set of rankings we score well in a number of important areas. For example, Ireland scores first place for the business impact of rules on foreign direct investment, seventh place for the number of procedures required to start a business and our financial markets, at seventh place, continue to be assessed as among the most sophisticated in the world. University-industry research collaboration has increased two points from 18th place last year to 16th place this year. We also score well on quality of primary education — seventh place — foreign direct investment and technology transfer — second place — and availability of scientists and engineers — 14th place. Our WEF competitiveness ranking has not declined for the past three years, while some other European Union countries have not managed to maintain their positions over the same period.

Many international reports and organisations measure our competitiveness and Ireland is ranked differently depending on which one chooses. For example, we are ranked second in the world as the best place to do business in 2008 according to a survey by Forbes magazine in June. Ireland is the second most competitive economy in Europe according to the Lisbon Council's European jobs and growth monitor published last March. We were ranked 12th in the world in terms of overall competitiveness in 2008 according to the IMD world competitiveness centre and the World Bank ranks Ireland eighth out of 178 countries for ease of doing business.

We are fully committed to strengthening the competitiveness and productive capacity of the economy.

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Our priority remains the creation of high quality, sustainable employment, driven by companies with higher profitability which are technologically advanced and prove a better fit with the competitive characteristics of our economy. We have a strong support system for developing the capabilities of Irish companies to compete on international markets with innovative products and services.

In terms of enhancing productivity growth, which is the cornerstone of our competitiveness, my Department has a capital allocation of €495 million for 2009, which will be spent on productivity enhancing investments by departmental agencies, namely, Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the Industrial Development Agency and county enterprise boards. In addition, the Government remains committed to investing in key national infrastructure projects through the national development plan.

To underpin long-term competitiveness my objective is to ensure we build the productive capacity of the economy through investing in people. I am doing this directly through the science, technology and innovation strategy and our skills strategy. I am confident that the areas on which we have chosen to focus are paying dividends and working well in terms of attracting and maintaining investment and growing jobs.

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