From the Indo

LegacyUser · 10-07-2001 7:40pm #1

We are now world leaders in technology, says UN poll

IRELAND is one of the world's leading technological countries, a UN report reveals.

The report also names the country as one of the world's leading exporters of hi-tech products.

This year's UN Human Development report ranks Ireland in 13th place in its first poll of technological achievement.

The Technology Achievement Index (TAI) ranks 72 countries in terms of their overall success in creating and using technology. Ireland is named in the first of four categories as a "leader" ahead of Belgium, New Zealand, Austria and France and Israel.

The 18 countries included in the leader category - which is topped by Finland - are described as being at the "cutting edge of technological innovation".

"These countries have high achievements in technology creation, diffusion and skills and their technological innovation is self-sustained," it says.

Dublin was also named as a "technology hub" - one of only 46 in the world which brings together research institutes, business start-ups and venture capital.

Ireland was also named 12th on a list of the top 30 exporters of hi-tech products. The top three in this field are the US, Japan and Germany.

"Ireland stands out as being one of the global hubs for IT and it has surpassed the US. The country is a key player.

"Ireland now has to look at how we can use our IT progress to help other poorer countries and we need to ask ourselves to what extent we are managing to use technology in our own country to bridge the gap between the have and have-nots," said Frank O'Donnell, of the UN development programme.

The report also shows a dramatic increase in the number of mobile telephones in use in Ireland - from 0.7pc of the population in 1990 to 44.7pc in 1999.

Internet access has also increased over the same period with "more people getting access to more information at a lower cost". Worldwide, the internet has exploded from 16m users in 1995 to more than 400m users last year.

The report did warn that any country that fails to make effective use of technology is likely to find itself falling behind in human development and marginalised in the global economy.

It notes that, while governments in technologically advanced countries like Ireland have provided incentives for education and training, not enough resources have been mobilised to do the same for the developing countries.

Martha Kearns

Bard · 10-07-2001 7:48pm

hmm... so we're among the top in the world as regards technological abilities and achievement?

We'll have to get decent Internet access for ourselves if we want to keep that up, to be sure to be sure...

Bard

"I have a plan... and it's as hot... AS MY PANTS!!!" - Lord Flashheart.

[This message has been edited by Bard (edited 10-07-2001).]

LegacyUser · 10-07-2001 8:06pm

I think it's time for a shameless rant. To me, this article is total and utter ********. I hate to say it, but there it is.

To say that Ireland is good with the Internet is sickening. What the hell are we fighting for, only acceptable Internet access and costs. Broadband penetration is nonexistant, and unmetered access is still a long way off. (Thank you Eircom)

Oh great - an exporter for hi-tech products. Why then do I have to buy my new computers and my upgrades from England. The price, thats why. We pay through the bloody noses for crappy, second rate stock. It's cheaper to get stuff from England, even paying almost a 25% exchange rate.

And a technologically advanced country has to have a decent bit of infrastructure to back it up. Nope, Ireland does not have any of that. A country such as this should have a decent motorway linking the two biggest cities, but no. Ireland has dirt-track for half the way between Cork and Dublin. Also, ESB's infrastructure and power supply is bursting at the seams. And dont talk about our telephone infrastructure. Eircom is the word - enough said.

Sure, Dublin may be a technology hub, but what about the rest of the country. <COUGH> Digital Divide <COUGH>. Ireland surpassing the USA..... Nope - dont believe it. Never will. Sorry folks.

/End Rant.

--Chris--

<A HREF="http://uie.8m.com

THE" TARGET=_blank>http://uie.8m.com

THE</A> source for Internet news in Ireland. Polls, broadband, letter to ODTR, ISP details and A PETITION AGAINST EIRCOM.

dahamsta · 10-07-2001 9:13pm

Ah, it's the Independant. Who takes any notice of Tony O'Reilly's mouthpiece?

adam

LegacyUser · 10-07-2001 9:52pm

Total pish! UN are being sarcastic.

LegacyUser · 10-07-2001 10:33pm

The only place Ireland are leading from is... Behind.

Is this a survey of 2nd World Countries??
It has to be. Go to any other EU country and you'll see real technology in action. Ireland is possibly the most technophobic OECD country. Lets not beat around the bush.

The famous quote "There are lies, lies and damn statistics" springs to mind!

80p.

jd · 10-07-2001 10:36pm

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
Ah, it's the Independant. Who takes any notice of Tony O'Reilly's mouthpiece?

adam</font>

Anybody see the phoenix this week-the stunt his silver spoon mouthed son tried to pull in the indo-
jd

LegacyUser · 10-07-2001 10:40pm

The Irish Times had an extensive article on the same report with the same figures and, rightly, stated that the placings in several catagories was moderate to poor and made a mockery of the government's claim of Ireland as the e-hub of Europe.

O'Reilly-spin at work.

-Steve
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