NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Celtic Tiger

Celtic Tiger (Irish: Tíogar Ceilteach) is a name for the period of rapid economic growth in the Republic of Ireland that began in the 1990s and slowed in 2001, only to pick up pace again in 2003 and then have slowed down once again by 2006. During this time, Ireland experienced a boom in which it was transformed from one of Europe's poorer countries into one of its wealthiest. The causes of Ireland's growth are the subject of some debate, but credit has been primarily given to free market capitalism: low corporate taxation; decades of investment in domestic higher education; a low-cost labour market; a policy of restraint in government spending; and EU membership - which provided transfer payments and export access to the Single Market. Celtic Tiger Live or more often known Michael Flatleys Celtic Tiger or just Celtic Tiger is an Irish Dance show. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... World GDP/capita changed very little for most of human history before the industrial revolution. ... In economics, the term boom and bust refers to the movement of an economy through economic cycles. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ...

The term "Celtic Tiger" has been used to refer to the country itself, and to the years associated with the boom. The first recorded use of the phrase is in a 1994 Morgan Stanley report by Kevin Gardiner.^[1] The phrase has often been wrongly associated with the Irish economist David McWilliams. The "Celtic Tiger" is analogous to the "East Asian Tigers"—the tigers of South Korea, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan during their periods of rapid tiger growth in the 1980s and 1990s. The Celtic Tiger period has also been called the "The Boom" or "Ireland's Economic Miracle". Variants of the phrase have been used to refer to continued economic growth in Ireland. In economics, the term boom and bust refers to the movement of an economy through economic cycles. ... Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is one of the largest and the most reputed investment banks headquartered in New York City. ... For other persons named David McWilliams, see David McWilliams (disambiguation). ... Map of East Asian Tigers Hong Kong Singapore South Korea Taiwan, Republic of China Skyline of Hong Kong Island, taken from Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong The skyline of Singapores Central Business District (CBD) seen here at dusk Taipei is Taiwans largest city and financial center. ...

The aspiration to become a Celtic Tiger has also been expressed by leaders of the other Celtic countries. Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations in New York in October 2007, Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, said "we have everything it takes for a Celtic Lion economy to take off in Scotland" (the lion rampant is the heraldic symbol of Scotland).^[2] The Six Nations considered the heartland of the modern Celts Celtic nations are areas of Europe inhabited by members of Celtic cultures, specifically speakers of Celtic languages. ... The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an influential and independent, nonpartisan foreign policy membership organization founded in 1921 and based at 58 East 68th Street (corner Park Avenue) in New York City, with an additional office in Washington, D.C. Through its membership, meetings, and studies, it has been... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born December 31, 1954, Linlithgow), is a Scottish politician, and the current First Minister of Scotland, heading a minority government. ... The First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ; Scots: ) is, in practice, the political leader of Scotland, as head of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the Scottish Parliament. ... This article is about the country. ... The headquarters of the Bank of Scotland, located on the Mound in Edinburgh. ... The Royal Standard of Scotland The Royal Standard of Scotland, also known as the Royal Standard of the King of Scots or more commonly The Lion Rampant is the flag used historically by the King of Scots. ...

Celtic Tiger

The "Celtic Tiger" period began in the mid-1990s and lasted until the global economic downturn of 2001. From 1994 to 2000 GNP rate growth ranged between 6 and 11%, falling through 2001 and early 2002 to 2%, the level at which the economy had been growing in the early 1990s. The rate subsequently rose back to an average of about 5%. During this period Irish living standards rose dramatically to equal then eventually surpass that of all but one state in Western Europe. The Standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ...

Causes

Corporate tax rate comparision of Ireland, France, UK and Germany (created by me) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Corporate tax rate comparision of Ireland, France, UK and Germany (created by me) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: European Union The European Union On-Line Official EU website, europa. ...

Tax

Many economists credit Ireland's growth to a low corporate taxation rate (10 to 12.5 percent throughout the late 1990s), and to net transfer payments from members of the European Union like Germany and France that were as high as 4% of gross national product. Between 1997 and 2004, Charlie McCreevy, the Minister for Finance, pursued fiscal policies such as low taxation^[3] and contributed to a dramatic reduction in public debt over the boom years.^[4] He was voted Ireland's best Minister for Finance in 2004 by Finance magazine.^[5] Corporate tax refers to a direct tax levied by various jurisdictions on the profits made by companies or associations. ... In political science and economics, a transfer payment is a payment of money from a government or any other organization to an individual, a group or another order of government for which no good or service is directly required in return. ... Measures of national income and output are used in economics to estimate the value of goods and services produced in an economy. ... Charles Charlie McCreevy, (Irish name: Cathal Mac Riabhaigh; born 30 September 1949) is an Irish politician. ... The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. ...

EU Aid

The EU aid was used to increase investment in the education system and physical infrastructure. The increased productive capacity of the Irish economy is often attributed to these investments, which made Ireland more attractive to high-tech businessmen.^[6] . The libertarian Cato Institute has suggested that the EU transfer payments were economically inefficient and may have actually slowed growth.^[7] The Heritage Foundation also downplayed the role of transfer payments.^[6] Ireland's membership in the European Union since 1973 helped also the country gain access to Europe's large markets. Ireland's trade had previously been predominantly with the United Kingdom.^[8] The Republic of Irelands education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries. ... The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Institutes stated mission is to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and peace by striving to achieve greater involvement... The Heritage Foundation is one of the most prominent conservative think tanks in the United States. ...

Industrial Policies

In the 1990s, the provision of subsidies and investment capital by Irish state organisations (such as IDA Ireland) encouraged high-profile companies like Dell, Intel, and Microsoft to locate in Ireland. These companies were attracted to Ireland because of its European Union membership, relatively low wages, government grants and low tax rates. Entreprise Ireland ^[9], a state agency, provides financial, technical and social support to start-up businesses. ^[10]. A subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by government in support of an activity regarded as being in the public interest. ... IDA Ireland is the agency responsible for industrial development in Ireland. ... This article is about the corporation Dell, Inc. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... A wage is a compensation which workers receive in exchange for their labor. ... Grants are funds given to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations or local governments by foundations, corporations, governments, small business and individuals. ...

The building of the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin led to the creation of 14,000 high-value jobs in the accounting, legal and financial management sectors. Famine sculpture in front of the International Financial Services Centre, Dublin. ...

Geography and Demographics

A favourable time zone difference^[11] allows Irish employees to work the first part of each day while U.S. workers sleep. This was particularly attractive to companies with large legal and financial departments; an Irish lawyer could work on a lawsuit in the morning while their American counterpart slept. U.S. firms were assured by the limited government intervention in business compared to other EU members, and particularly to countries in Eastern Europe. Growing stability in Northern Ireland brought about by the Good Friday Agreement further established Ireland's ability to provide a stable business environment.^[12]^[8] Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Civil action redirects here. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 kmÂ², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was signed in Belfast on April 10, 1998 by the British and Irish Governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland political parties. ...

Irish workers could effectively communicate with Americans—especially compared to other low-wage EU nations such as Portugal and Spain—a factor that was vital to U.S. companies choosing Ireland for their headquarters. It has also been argued that the demographic dividend from the rising ratio of workers to dependants due to falling fertility, and increased female labour market participation, increased income per capita. The demographic dividend is a rise in the rate of economic growth due to a rising share of working age people in a population. ...

Other analyses suggest that much of the growth was due to the fact that the economy of Ireland had lagged behind the rest of northwestern Europe for so long that it had become one of the few sources of a relatively large, low-wage labour pool remaining in Western Europe. The Economy of the Republic of Ireland is modern, relatively small, and trade-dependent with growth averaging a robust 10% in 1995–2000. ...

Consequences

Ireland was transformed from one of the poorest countries in Western Europe to one of the wealthiest. Disposable income soared to record levels, enabling a huge rise in consumer spending. Unemployment fell from 18% in the late 1980s to 3.5% by the end of the boom, and average industrial wages grew at one of the highest rates in Europe. Inflation brushed 5% per annum towards the end of the 'Tiger' period, pushing Irish prices up to those of Nordic Europe. Public debt was dramatically reduced, enabling public spending to double without any significant increase in taxes. Chart of Irish Debt/GDP Ratio File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Chart of Irish Debt/GDP Ratio File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For the album by punk rock band, Snuff, see Disposable Income (album) Disposable income is the total amount of income an individual makes after direct taxes. ... CIA figures for world unemployment rates, 2006 Unemployment is the state in which a person is without work, available to work, and is currently seeking work. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ...

The new wealth resulted in large investments in modernising Irish infrastructure and cities. The National Development Plan lead to improvements in road infrastructure, and new transport services were developed, such as the Luas light rail lines, the Dublin Port Tunnel, and the extension of the Cork Suburban Rail. Local authorities enhanced city streets, and built monuments like the Spire of Dublin. The National Development Plan was created to develop Irelands infrastructure to help invest the rewards from the economic success of the Celtic Tiger National Development Plan (NDP) is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on (mainly) national infrastructure. ... Luas [lÌªË uË(É™)sÌªË ] (Irish for speed), also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, currently encompasses two unconnected on-street light rail lines in Dublin, Ireland. ... Dublin Port Tunnel Construction, 2004 December 2006, southbound entrance The Dublin Port Tunnel (TollÃ¡n Calafoirt Bhaile Ãtha Cliath in Irish) is a road traffic tunnel in Dublin, Ireland, that forms part of the M50 motorway. ... The Cork Suburban Rail network serves the Metropolitan Cork area in County Cork, Ireland. ... Looking south along OConnell Street at night: the Spires tip is illuminated. ...

Ireland's trend of net emigration was reversed as the republic became a destination for immigrants. This significantly changed Irish demographics and resulted in expanding multiculturalism, particularly in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway areas. It was estimated in 2007 that 10% of Irish residents were foreign-born. Most of the new arrivals were citizens of Poland and the Baltic states, many of whom found work in the retail and service sectors. Within Ireland, many young people left the rural countryside to live and work in urban centres. The growing success of Ireland's economy encouraged entrepreneurship and risk-taking, qualities that had been dormant during poor economic periods. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of both cultural and ethnic diversity within the demographics of a particular social space. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in the Republic of Ireland. ... This article is about the city. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference M300256 Statistics Province: Connacht County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities. ...

Many people in Ireland believe that growing consumerism during the boom years eroded the country's culture, with the adoption of American capitalist ideals. While Ireland's historical economic ties to the United Kingdom had often been the subject of criticism, Peader Kirby argues that the new ties to the U.S. economy, however, were met with a "satisfied silence".^[13] Nevertheless, voices on the left have decried the "closer to Boston than Berlin" philosophy of the government parties. Writers such as William Wall, Mike McCormick and Gerry Murphy have satirised these developments. A page from the Book of Kells. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... William Wall is an Irish novelist, poet and short story writer. ...

Growing wealth was blamed for rising crime levels among youths, particularly alcohol-related violence resulting from increased spending power. However it was also accompanied by rapidly increased life expectancy and quality of life ratings.

Downturn, 2001–2003

The Celtic Tiger's momentum slowed sharply in 2002, after seven years of high growth. The Irish economic downturn was in line with the worldwide downturn.

The economy was impacted by a large reduction in investment in the worldwide information technology (IT) industry. The industry had over-expanded in the late 1990s, and its stock market equity declined sharply. Ireland was a major player in the IT industry: In 2002, it had exported US$10.4 billion worth of computer services, compared to $6.9 billion from the United States. Ireland accounted for approximately 50 percent of all mass-market packaged software sold in Europe in 2002 (OECD, 2002; OECD, 2004). Information and communication technology spending in 2005 Information Technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ...

Foot and mouth disease and the September 11, 2001 attacks damaged Ireland's tourism and agricultural sectors, deterring U.S. and British tourists. Several companies moved operations to Eastern Europe and the People's Republic of China because of a rise in Irish wage costs, insurance premiums, and a general reduction in Ireland's economic competitiveness. The rising value of the Euro hit non-EMU exports, particularly those to the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease, is a highly contagious but non-fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11â€”pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Statistical regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (UN definition of Eastern Europe marked red): Northern Europe Western Europe Eastern Europe Southern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current borders: Russia (dark orange), other countries formerly part of the USSR... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... Also see Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. ...

At the same time, economies globally experienced a slowdown. The economy of the United States grew only 0.3% in April, May and June 2002 from a year earlier. The Federal Reserve made 11 rate cuts that year in an attempt to stimulate the U.S. economy. In Europe, the EU scarcely grew throughout the whole of 2002, and many governments (notably Germany and France) lost control of public finances, causing large deficits that broke the terms of the EMU Stability and Growth Pact. The Federal Reserve System is headquartered in the Eccles Building on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. The Federal Reserve System (also the Federal Reserve; informally The Fed) is the central banking system of the United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) is an agreement by European Union member states related to their conduct of fiscal policy, to facilitate and maintain Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. ...

The economic downturn in Ireland was not a recession, but a slowdown in the rate of economic expansion. Signs of a recovery became evident in late 2003 as U.S. investment levels increased once again. Many senior economists have heavily criticised [1] the Government and the economic imbalance in favour of the construction industry and the prospect of sustaining economic growth in the future. In macroeconomics, a recession is a decline in a countrys real gross domestic product (GDP), or negative real economic growth, for two or more successive quarters of a year. ...

Post-2003 resurgence

After the slowdown in 2001 and 2002, Irish economic growth began to accelerate again in late 2003 and 2004. Some of the media considered this an opportunity to document the return of the Celtic Tiger — occasionally referred to in the press as the "Celtic Tiger 2" and "Celtic Tiger Mark 2".^[14] In 2004, Irish growth was the highest, at 4.5%, of the EU-15 states, and a similar figure was forecast for 2005. These rates contrast with growth rates of 1% to 3% for many other European economies, including Germany, France, and Italy. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1110x908, 201 KB) Intel 80486DX CPU. Bottom view with gold plated pins Photograph Â© Andrew Dunn, 9 November 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1110x908, 201 KB) Intel 80486DX CPU. Bottom view with gold plated pins Photograph Â© Andrew Dunn, 9 November 2005. ...

The reasons for the continuation of the Irish economic boom are somewhat controversial within Ireland. Skeptics say that recent growth is merely due to a great increase in property values, and to catch-up growth in employment in the construction sector. A variety of other factors have also been put forward. The property market in the Republic of Ireland in 2007 is controversially described by some as the Irish Property Bubble. ...

Globally, the U.S. recovery has boosted Ireland's economy due to Ireland's close economic ties to the U.S. The decline in tourism as a result of foot and mouth disease and the September 11, 2001 attacks has reversed itself.^[15] The recovery of the global information technology industry is also a factor: Ireland produces 25% of all European PCs, and Dell, IBM, Apple and HP all have sizeable Irish operations, with Dell having its major European manufacturing plant in Limerick. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease, is a highly contagious but non-fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11â€”pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... A stylised illustration of a personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. ... This article is about the corporation Dell, Inc. ... For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation) and Big Blue. ... Apple Inc. ... The Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ), commonly known as HP, is a very large, global company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. ... This article is about the corporation Dell, Inc. ... This article is about the city. ...

There has been a renewed investment by multi-national firms. Intel has resumed Irish expansion, Google has a major office in Dublin,^[16] Abbott Laboratories is building a new Irish facility^[17] and Bell Labs will open a facility in the near future.^[18] Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... This article is about the corporation. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) is a diversified pharmaceuticals and health care company. ... Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) was the main research and development arm of the United States Bell System. ...

Domestically, a new state body, Science Foundation Ireland, has been established to promote new science companies in Ireland. A drive has been underway to attract high-skill jobs to Ireland; the location of Google and Bell Labs in Ireland are the cornerstone of this new drive.^[19] Maturing funds from the SSIA government savings scheme relaxed consumers' concerns about spending and thus fuelled retail sales growth.^[20] Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), or FondÃºireacht EolaÃochta Ã‰ireann (FEÃ‰) in Irish, is the Irish statutory body with responsibility for disbursing funds for basic science research with a strategic focus. ... This article is about the corporation. ... Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) was the main research and development arm of the United States Bell System. ...

Challenges

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1536 Ã— 2048 pixel, file size: 658 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The_Spire_of_Dublin_from_Henry_Street. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1536 Ã— 2048 pixel, file size: 658 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The_Spire_of_Dublin_from_Henry_Street. ... Looking south along OConnell Street at night: the Spires tip is illuminated. ...

Property market

The return of the boom in 2004 is claimed to be primarily the result of the large construction sector catching up with the demand caused by the first boom. The construction sector represents nearly 12% of GDP and a large proportion of employment among young, unskilled men. A number of sources, including The Economist,^[21] have warned of excessive Irish property values. 2004 saw the construction of 80,000 new homes, compared to the United Kingdom's 160,000 – a nation that has 15 times Ireland's population. Rent yields are falling nationwide on residential property and output has now outpaced demand. Despite this, as of January 2007, it is estimated that home completions in 2006 may have reached 90,000.^{[citation needed]} The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ... The property market in the Republic of Ireland in 2007 is controversially described by some as the Irish Property Bubble. ...

Loss of competitiveness

Rising wages, inflation, poor infrastructure, excessive public spending, and the accession of ten new European Union members in 2004 and Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 are threats to the continued competitiveness and sustained growth of the Irish economy. Irish wages are now substantially above the EU average, particularly in the Dublin region. These pressures primarily affect unskilled, semi-skilled, and manufacturing jobs. Outsourcing of professional jobs is also increasing. Poland recently gained several hundred former Irish jobs from the accountancy division of Philips. Philips HQ in Amsterdam Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Royal Philips Electronics N.V.), usually known as Philips, (Euronext: PHIA, NYSE: PHG) is one of the largest electronics companies in the world, founded and headquartered in the Netherlands. ...

Despite this, there was a surge in Foreign Direct Investment in 2006 and substantial net increase in IDA supported jobs.

The government has set up Science Foundation Ireland^[22] to promote education in highly-skilled careers, and to invest in science initiatives that will further Ireland's knowledge economy. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), or FondÃºireacht EolaÃochta Ã‰ireann (FEÃ‰) in Irish, is the Irish statutory body with responsibility for disbursing funds for basic science research with a strategic focus. ... A knowledge economy is either economy of knowledge focused on the economy of the producing and management of knowledge, or a knowledge-based economy. ...

Promotion of indigenous industry

One of the major challenges facing Ireland is the successful promotion of indigenous industry. Although Ireland boasts a few large international companies, such as AIB, CRH, Kerry Group, Smurfit Kappa Elán and Ryanair, there are few companies with over one billion euros in annual revenue. The government has charged Enterprise Ireland^[23] with the task of boosting Ireland's indigenous industry. The government launched a Web site^[24] in 2003 with the objective of streamlining and marketing the process of starting a business in Ireland. Allied Irish Banks plc (AIB) (Irish: Bainc-Aontas Ã‰ireann),ISEQ: ALBK, LSE:ALBK, NYSE: AIB, FWB:AIB is a commercial bank based in Ireland not to be mistaken for Anglo Irish Bank. ... CRH can refer to: 1. ... Kerry Group (LSE: KYGa), is a major quoted food company in the Republic of Ireland. ... Ã‰lan Corporation plc (NYSE: ELN), (LSE: ELA) is a major drugs firm based in Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland. ... For the unrelated U.S. carrier, see Ryan International Airlines. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ...

However, companies such as IAWS, Grafton, Riverdeep and Tullow Oil have risen to prominence as investors have bought into Irish equities in the general upswing in the stock exchange over the past 5 years. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Riverdeep Interactive Learning is a publishing house for educational online and CDROM products based in San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1995. ... Tullow Oil plc (LSE: TLW) is a British-based oil exploration and production business headquartered in London. ...

Reliance on foreign energy sources

Another economic concern is Ireland's reliance on foreign oil.^[25] Ireland for many years curbed dependence on foreign energy sources by developing its peat bogs, building a dam on the River Shannon, and developing offshore gas fields. Gas, peat and hydroelectric power have been almost fully exploited in Ireland. This situation has led to an increasing need for oil at a time of increasing concerns about security of supply and global warming. One solution is to develop significant potential energy sources like wind power and, to a lesser extent, wave power. The world's largest offshore wind farm is currently in construction off the east coast of the island near Arklow, and many remote locations in the west show potential for wind farm development. A report by Sustainable Energy Ireland indicated that if wind power were properly developed, Ireland could one day be exporting excess wind power. Wind power currently supplies 5% of Ireland's electricity. Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... Carrick-on-Shannon-Bridge Leitrim Shannon-Bridge Offaly The River Shannon (Irish: altenatively Sionna), Irelands longest river, divides the West of Ireland (mostly the province of Connacht) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster). ... Offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico An oil platform or oil rig is a large structure used to house workers and machinery needed to drill and/or produce oil and natural gas through wells in the ocean bed. ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... For other uses, see Peak oil (disambiguation). ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... An example of a wind turbine. ... Wave power refers to the energy of ocean surface waves and the capture of that energy to do useful work - including electricity generation, desalination, and the pumping of water (into reservoirs). ... A wind farm is a collection of wind turbines in the same location. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish grid reference T240735 Statistics Province: Leinster County: Elevation: Sea level Population (2006) - Town: - Environs: 11,712 47 Website: www. ...

Wealth redistribution

Ireland's new wealth is not evenly distributed. The United Nations reported in 2004 that Ireland was second only to the United States in inequality among Western nations.^[14] . The government has established a National Development Plan^[26] to invest in infrastructure throughout the country, and has formulated the National Spatial Strategy^[27] to focus on the development of 'gateways' and 'hubs'— towns such as Mullingar, Athlone, and Ennis have been so-designated. The National Development Plan was created to develop Irelands infrastructure to help invest the rewards from the economic success of the Celtic Tiger National Development Plan (NDP) is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on (mainly) national infrastructure. ... For the place in Canada, see Mullingar, Saskatchewan. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference N033420 Statistics Province: Leinster & Connaught County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Westmeath European Parliament: East Dialling Code: 090, +353 90 Elevation: 56 m Population (2006) 17,544 [2] Website: www. ... For people named Ennis, see Ennis (surname). ...

However inequality persists. Many communities are still crime-ridden and in relative poverty^{[citation needed]}. The government has enlisted Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.^[28] to regenerate the Ballymun area and move people into new homes. They began knocking down the Ballymun Flats in 2004. The Ballymun Flats tower block complex in Ballymun, Dublin is scheduled for demolition. ...

There is some opposition to the theory that Ireland's wealth has been unusually unevenly distributed, among them economist and journalist David McWilliams. He cites Eurostat figures which indicate that Ireland is just above average in terms equality by one type of measurement^[29]. However while it is better off by this measurement than generally less developed and/or more free market countries like Britain, the Mediterranean and the new accession states; Ireland is still more unequal than the Scandinavan countries, Germany and France. For other persons named David McWilliams, see David McWilliams (disambiguation). ... The Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) is the statistical arm of the European Commission, producing data for the European Union and promoting harmonisation of statistical methods across the member states. ...

Moreover, Ireland's inequality persists by other measurements. according to an ESRI report published in December 2006 is the 22nd best out of the 26 richest countries in terms of the level of its child poverty; and the 2nd most unequal country in Europe.^[30]. December 2006 is the twelfth and final month of the year and will begin in 2 day(s). ...

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