‘With a Cabinet reshuffle and a realignment of departments on the cards, GRAINNE MILLAR argues that this is the ideal time to review how Ireland organises creative resources.

AS THE world economy continues its inexorable shift to becoming knowledge-based, we have many competitive advantages,” wrote Dermot Desmond in this newspaper last December. “The combination of our cultural pedigree and our technological leadership suggests to me that we can create a lasting opportunity for Ireland’s future generations.”

Over the past 18 months we have lived through unprecedented times: an economy on its knees, profound public disillusionment in our political leaders, and a political system – in need of repair – that has failed to deliver. The first signs of optimism emerged at the Global Irish Economic Forum at Farmleigh, where, contrary to public expectation, the likes of Denis O’Brien and Dermot Desmond championed the importance of Irish culture as a key element of our recovery.’ (More)

By Grainne Millar: Read more at The Irish Times (via Fiona Kearney on ArtTweets).