Ireland will seek to boost its competitiveness by “reducing the cost and regulatory burden” facing businesses and investing in infrastructure, the Taoiseach has told tech giant Apple.
The comments were made by Micheál Martin during a series of contacts with tech multinationals – also including Meta, Amazon and Google – in which he offered assurances about the Coalition’s commitment to competitiveness and innovation.
Apple and Meta – both big employers in the State – had previously raised related concerns with the Government.
Apple last year warned of “aggressive competition” from other countries trying to lure multinationals away from Ireland. It highlighted that infrastructure issues in Cork – where its European headquarters is located – were “hindering” the company’s growth plans.
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Mr Martin’s letter to Apple was sent in response to the company’s chief executive, Tim Cook, writing to the Fianna Fáil leader in January congratulating him on his election as Taoiseach. In that letter, Mr Cook said Apple believes Ireland can remain “a global voice to promote competitiveness and the benefits of inward investment”.
Mr Martin replied in February telling Mr Cook his Government is committed to Ireland becoming “a global innovation leader”.
He said the National Digital Strategy would be refreshed “to ensure we fully realise the economic potential of the digital and AI [artificial intelligence] revolution”.
“We are very conscious of the need to close the innovation gap, which is a key competitiveness issue for the EU,” he added.
The Taoiseach made similar remarks on innovation in a separate letter sent to senior executives from online retailer Amazon’s Irish operation.
In the letter to Mr Cook, Mr Martin also said the development of a “whole-of-Government Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity” is a priority.
“This plan will cover industrial policy, reducing the cost and regulatory burden on business, continued and enhanced investment in infrastructure, digital regulation and reform, energy reform, international trade and RD&I.”
The development of this action plan was fast-tracked by Government last month due to concern over the risks posed by the trade dispute between the European Union and US.
Further records, released under the Freedom of Information Act, include an email from Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, following a meeting with Mr Martin during the St Patrick’s Day programme in Washington, DC.
Mr Kaplan wrote to say he was “heartened” by views expressed by the Taoiseach “on the need for Europe to embrace innovation, in particular around the opportunities presented by open source AI”.
“I look forward to working with you to address the urgent challenges we discussed facing companies like ours in Ireland and the European Union,” said Mr Kaplan, who has been critical of Europe’s regulatory regime.
In February, he wrote to Mr Martin and others in Government warning that the “operating environment” for companies like Meta in the European Union is “unsustainable” and called for “urgent action” by Ireland.
The records released also include correspondence that followed a meeting between Mr Martin and Google president for global affairs, Kent Walker, at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year.
Mr Walker wrote to Mr Martin afterwards saying: “We appreciate your focus on AI opportunity (which is considerable both for Ireland and the EU as a whole) and competitiveness.”
