merrion street

Addressing the American Chamber of Commerce, Taoiseach Enda Kenny acknowledged the Governments responsibility in creating an economic environment to facilitate business.

Governments don't create jobs but it is absolutely critical that the environment, the atmosphere and the opportunity to use the levers of democracy to open the doors of business and opportunity are demonstrated to work in the people’s interest and in the nation’s interest.

He recounted President Bill Clinton’s confidence in Ireland’s economic potential:

As president Clinton pointed out, the demographics of this country are the best of any European Country for the next 25 years. He also pointed out that the package that you put around that of tax, talent, technology and track record provides an unbeatable package.

Of the changing economic environment, the Taoiseach said:

The world is changing in front of us as we speak; whether it be robotics or genetics or biotech or the internet or nanotechnology or nano-medicine, that world is coming at us like a wave and we are helping to create that future. The country that rides those waves best is the country that is going to come out of this world turmoil with strengthened credentials.

Speaking of the challenges faced by the country, the Taoiseach said:

We have beaten economic challenges in the past, we will beat them again. The high ground is not far away, we are three quarters of the way across this river and while the tide ahead is challenging, the prize is enormous. That prize is a strong economy, a well run country, a lean, efficient, competitive economy where there are opportunities for those thousands of young people who are now in secondary school and primary school to give vent to their creativity, their imagination, their ingenuity their decisiveness and their thinking of the great adventure of life.

Watch excerpts from the Taoiseach’s speech below: