TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

Similarly, little thought is given to biodiversity, except in the heritage zones, where tourist
taxes support an environmental protection policy on a highly selected basis. Urban planning is
often left to junior planners from abroad on short-term contracts who are generally unwilling to
refuse applications for commercial development. Attractive urban form and places with good
quality of life, although desirable by all in the East, can be attributed to only a small number of
Eastern cities.
With regard to energy sources, the milestone marking a fundamental reversal of policy came in
2015 with the construction of a pebble-bed high temperature nuclear gas reactor near Dundalk.
Ironically, EDF, the massive French utility company is building the first experimental nuclear
fusion plant in Westmeath, with hopes of actually exporting electrical power to the U.K. In the
West, wind and wave power production predominates, and Ireland boasts a world-class
reputation for research in developing these alternative sources of energy.
Learning
In an economy driven by commercial enterprise, third-level institutions are required to be
almost completely self-financing, and are, therefore, forced to manage their affairs like a
business. Education is no longer viewed in the traditional sense as a constitutional right
available to all, but rather as an expensive, though high-quality commodity. Universities
consequently have forged a variety of partnership arrangements with the private sector and
other overseas academic institutions. Many companies respond imaginatively and generously,
recognising the worth of investing in the next generation of leading-edge knowledge workers.
Globalisation has ensured that the student body represents an ethnically diverse and multicultural
community. Teachers and researchers are exceptionally well-paid, but regularly
reviewed as to their performance. All this creates a virtuous cycle at the upper-end of Irish
education, which attracts worldwide acclaim for excellence. It has to be recorded, however,
that the emphasis of course provision rests heavily upon those disciplines providing a ready
workforce for international trade and global industry. Science and technology, with
management and marketing, are strongly favoured over the humanities.
In the secondary sector, private services run by global providers have become widely available,
especially along the lines of the American charter schools model. State provision is largely
confined to the very poor and the most disadvantaged.
Lifelong learning has developed into an industry all of its own, and several leading Irish
universities, though slow to take the field, have fast established leading global positions in the
provision of continuing education at advanced levels in such areas as energy resource
management, biomedical research and nano-technology development.
Valediction
The Ireland of 2030 in the “The Sow of Liberty” scenario is one which has acquired an
international reputation for being economically healthy – but socially infirm.
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