PANEL RESPONSE: GROWTH POLICY - Reflecting on the Irish Growth Model

Abstract

Along with the other panellists, I really appreciate being invited to participate in this celebration of Patrick’s contribution to policymaking in Ireland. And I want to thank Philip, Alan and Augustin for their initiative that has created such an enjoyable and informative conference. Unlike other panellists, who were Patrick’s former work colleagues over his career in the ESRI, CBI and TCD, we did not overlap at any point in these three institutions. The only institution where we were daily colleagues was as undergraduates at UCD. However, we have maintained contact ever since and worked alongside each other in different capacities on boards and committees. My earliest recollections of Patrick as a fellow student in UCD were his endless curiosity and intense good humour, attributes mentioned by many others today. By contrast with many others, Patrick has worked in an unusually large variety of organisations, both in Ireland and internationally, over the past 50 years. It is a real tribute to him that he maintained contact with so many of the people he has engaged with along the way. What made Patrick the perfect choice to take on the role of CBI Governor at such a very challenging time, was this exceptional variety of experiences, both in Ireland and in international institutions.