IRELAND MUST become more cost-effective if it is to compete successfully against emerging knowledge economies such as China and India. The current shortage of engineers is a particular problem, according to an international commentator.
Dr Falguni Sen's views came yesterday in advance of the Engineers Ireland annual conference taking place in Limerick later this week. Dr Sen is an adviser at the Observer Research Foundation in India.
Foreign direct investment will tend to gravitate towards emerging economies "to tap into the qualified but cost-effective sources of engineering talent available there", he said.
Ireland can compete but it was "vital" that it maintain "a healthy and future-looking engineering industry". There was a shortage of engineers in specialised areas "and Ireland can definitely fill that need" provided the policies to support this were in place.
Dr Sen will be a keynote speaker at the Engineers Ireland conference which takes place on April 17th-18th at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Limerick.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea will open the event on Wednesday evening, while Minister for the Environment John Gormley and Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey will speak at the event.
Further information on the conference is available at www.engineersireland.ie.
