Ireland in 2005

From 1800 to 1921, Ireland was an integral part of the UK. During the period 1846-48, the Irish economy was overshadowed by a severe economic depression. Mass famine spawned the first mass wave of Irish emigration to the US...

Ireland's success had been attributed to many factors. One of Ireland's bigger attractions was a ready supply of skilled workers, including scientists, engineers and business-school graduates. As far back as the 1960s, the country had started investing heavily in both secondary and higher education...

Attracting foreign private investment had been a top priority for the Irish government. Ireland had an impressive FDI machine, led by the IDA. Other agencies involved were Science Foundation Ireland, Forfas and Enterprise Ireland, which fostered indigenous industry...

Compared to the US, there was greater government regulation of the workplace and labor relations in Ireland. Labor markets worked within a social framework, like in several other countries in continental Europe but were considered more flexible than a typical EU nation...