NCPC Welcomes DETE-ESRI Joint Economic Research Programme Seminar

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Joint Research Programme Seminar on ‘Driving Productivity in a Digital-Green Future: Insights on Twin Transition Research’ was held on Wednesday, 17th April 2024, in the Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2. This was the first in what is planned to be a series of annual Seminars. The Seminar was very well attended, including delegates from many Government Departments and agencies. 

DETE And ESRI embarked on a Joint Research Programme in 2021 titled Productivity Challenge and its interaction with Climate, Digitalisation and Human Capital. Under this programme, the ESRI undertook – working with Departmental officials – research on issues related to productivity which will assist in developing a deeper understanding of the processes which drive, or inhibit, productivity growth in Ireland. The Programme is funded by this Department and topics are selected in order to support evidence-based policy-making.

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC), welcomes the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Joint Research Programme Seminar which took place yesterday, 17th of April 2024, in The Hilton Hotel. The Seminar was very well attended, including delegates from many Government Departments and agencies. Dr Luiz de Mello, Director of the Economics Department of the OECD , who is a member of the NCPC, was a keynote speaker at the Seminar and gave an insightful and interesting presentation on the theme of Driving Productivity in a Digital-Green Future. This presentation outlined productivity trends and implications for a twin transition, the role of policy as well as a policy framework for a productivity-rich twin transition.

DETE And ESRI embarked on a Joint Research Programme in 2021 (and concluded in 2023) titled Productivity Challenge and its interaction with Climate, Digitalisation and Human Capital.Under this programme, the ESRI undertook – working with Departmental officials – research on issues related to productivity which will assist in developing a deeper understanding of the processes which drive, or inhibit, productivity growth in Ireland.

Commenting on the joint research event, the Chair of the Council Dr. Frances Ruane stated: ‘I welcome the collaborative approach across different stakeholders, including researchers and Departmental officials, as this is very important for ensuring that productivity challenges are considered from a variety of perspectives. Productivity is hugely important as it is the driver of economic growth in the longer term, and as such is key to improvements in living standards, associated with growing and sustainable wage levels, good public services, and improved wellbeing.’

This programme produced several working papers, including “Firm-level attitudes and actions to the “Twin Transition” challenges of digitalisation and climate change” by Janez Kren and Martina Lawless which was published in January 2023. More information and the paper can be found here. In February 2024, a second paper was published titled “Entrepreneur Characteristics and Determinants of Self-Employment Across Europe” which has been coauthored by Dermot Coates (DETE and the Head of the NCPC Secretariat) and Martina Lawless (ESRI). This paper can be found here. A third paper was published in April 2024, titled ‘The Implications of High Energy and Carbon Prices on Firms' which was co-authored by Aykut Mert Yakut, Samuel McArdle and Kelly de Bruin (all ESRI). You can find more about this paper here.