Ireland is a manufacturing powerhouse, producing half as much as the UK per year, despite having a population that is 13 times smaller. With 1% of EU's population, Ireland produces 5% of total EU industrial output. 30 years ago, Ireland had practically no manufacturing base to speak of. How was this transformation achieved? Can it be sustained? Can a strong manufacturing base explain a countries political and social outlook and what else can developed from manufacturing prowess? If Ireland can build a manufacturing base from scratch, can other countries follow suit?
","author_name":"David McWilliams & John Davis"}