The Chair presents to the third annual Competitiveness Summit of Ministers hosted by Intel

The Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council Prof. Alan Barrett addresses the third annual Competitiveness Summit of Ministers hosted by the Taoiseach.

The Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC), Professor Alan Barrett, attended the third annual Competitiveness Summit which took place on 13 July 2026 at Intel HQ in Leixlip.

The Summit was chaired by the Taoiseach as part of preparations for Budget 2027 and was attended by Tánaiste and Minster for Finance Simon Harris; Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers; Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke; and other Ministers, as well as the Chief Executives of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

The summit was also addressed by Dr. Naga Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice President for Technology Development and Manufacturing at Intel who set out the competitiveness challenges facing countries like Ireland that are trying to win major new foreign direct investment.

The Summit focused on the competitiveness challenges and opportunities facing the Irish economy in the context of growing global uncertainty, evolving trade patterns, geopolitical developments and increasing international competition for investment.

Professor Barrett updated the Summit on the key findings of the NCPC’s Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2026 Report. He noted that this year’s report focuses on strengthening Ireland’s capacity to withstand future economic shocks while sustaining improvements in productivity, competitiveness and economic resilience.

Professor Alan Barrett said:

“Ireland has demonstrated considerable resilience in recent years, but maintaining our competitiveness in an increasingly uncertain global environment will require sustained focus, a forward-looking policy agenda, and the agility to respond to an evolving global landscape.”

Professor Barrett added: “This year’s Competitiveness Challenge report highlights the importance of strengthening economic and energy resilience, reducing business costs, and ensuring that our workforce is equipped to harness the opportunities presented by technological change, including AI. By addressing these priorities, Ireland can continue to attract investment, support enterprise growth and improve living standards in the years ahead.”

The Summit also received an update on the implementation of the Government’s Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which has seen significant progress since it was published in September 2025.

It was agreed that Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2026 would be published shortly and that the NCPC’s recommendations would provide an important input into the finalisation of Budget 2027.