Economic development in Ireland

Abstract

In laying before the members of this Society some considerations regarding the very wide subject of "Economic Development in Ireland," I have in view the situation created by the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, which comes into operation on April 1st, of the present year. The object of that Act is to stimulate economic development in Ireland. It creates a new Department of the Irish Government, which is to concern itself with two distinct purposes: to assist in developing—(1) the agriculture and fisheries, and certain, rural industries; (2) technical education applied to any form of local industry. On the one hand to enable the production of greater wealth from the lands and waters of Ireland; and, on the other hand, to improve the productive quality of Irish labour by technical education applicable to any of the industries or the circumstances of each district—these are the beneficent and truly national purposes of an Act of Parliament which makes an entirely new departure in the relations between the people and the Government of this country.