Tiger and the moose

No economy has been more examined and celebrated in the last decade than Ireland’s, where rapid growth after a long history of economic troubles brings to mind for many people a simple thought: If Ireland can do it, so can we. Can Maine? This year’s Governor’s Economic Development Conference is going to take a crack at finding out.

Popularly known as the Celtic Tiger, the economy of Ireland is far outpacing those of its European neighbors and most of the rest of the world. Ireland has gone in a generation from being known merely as a nice place to take a vacation to high-tech heaven. There are currently 562 software companies there — 450 of them Irish owned — making it the second-largest software exporter (after the United States) in the world. That’s not on a per capita basis for the isle of 3.6 million, but in absolute terms.

So what can the Celtic Tiger say to a Maine Moose? A lot, actually, because Ireland and Maine share some of the same problems and opportunities; Ireland, perhaps, has taken better advantage of the latter. But like Maine compared with the rest of the states, Ireland was once the perennial runner-up economically in Europe. And like Maine, it struggled with the departures of some of its most ambitious sons and daughters. It, too, had — in fact, still has — a Two Maines problem. And 30 years ago many in Ireland became convinced that education was a key investment it needed to make to solve its economic difficulties; Maine is almost there on that one.

Annually put on by the University of Maine, this year’s governor’s conference will be held June 14 at the Augusta Civic Center. The keynote speaker is Kieran McGowan, the former director of one of the prime reasons Ireland has done so well internationally — the Industrial Development Authority. The conference will look in-depth at four areas: education, innovation, tourism and international trade. Annrai O’Toole, an officer in IONA Technologies, one of the more successful examples of Ireland’s new technical prowess, will also speak, and Maine will welcome back Paddy McDonagh, the assistant secretary-general for Ireland’s Department of Education and Science.

A distinguished lineup, and an important one if you believe Maine could be acting more effectively to grow out of some of its long-term economic problems. With a lot of work, perhaps some day a small European nation will invite state officials to come describe for them the miracle of the Maine Moose.

For more information about the conference, contact the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy at the University of Maine.