Business groups have generally welcomed the recommendations contained in the Enterprise Strategy Group's report that was published today.
The report, entitled Ahead of the Curve: Ireland's Place in the Global Economywas published today by the T&aaacute;naiste, Ms Harney and the group's chairman Mr Eoin O'Driscoll.
Employers' group IBEC said the report was as a timely "wake up call" which should not be ignored and is calling on the Government to put Enterprise at the heart of its agenda.
Enterprise Ireland said the report explicitly recognises the potential of the indigenous business sector to increase its value to the economy going forward.
It also emphasises the crucial importance of exports and technology in delivering a strong vibrant indigenous base.
Dublin Chamber Vice-President, Ms Aine-Maria Mizzoni, said the chamber was "encouraged" to see that both the development of R&D in Ireland and investment in more work-based training receive a high prioritisation in the group's report. "The further development of linkages between third-level colleges and universities, as the report recommends, will be vital if Ireland is to move further up the economic value chain," she said.
Small business group ISME, gave a more cautious welcome to the report saying that "at the very least" the exercise recognises the importance of developing an integrated enterprise policy for the future.
The ISME chairman, Mr Robert Berney, said: "While there are many positive aspects contained in the report,overall it is a bit of a 'curate's egg' in that while it recognises the role of the SME indigenous sector, there are very few specific initiatives recommended to specifically tackle areas of concern to the sector".
Mr Pat Delaney of the Small Firms Association (SFA) welcomed the report before attaching the usual health warning. "The forming of the Expert Group on Enterprise will be the acid test as to whether this report will be implemented or gather dust like so many before" he said.
