A Global Irish Economic Forum to help with recovery – what about a Welsh one?

In Dublin Castle this weekend there is a large gathering of the Irish Diaspora, but this is not for a trip down memory lane or to enjoy the craic of the Irish capital, the ex pats are in Dublin for the second Global Irish Economic Forum hosted by the Irish Government.

It’s aim is looking at ways in which the Irish Diaspora, or those with an connection to Ireland can contribute to Ireland’s economic recovery by exploring new ideas for generating wealth, as well as securing foreign investment and job creation.

The Forum was set up in 2009 by the Irish Foreign Ministry in the middle of the economic storm Ireland found itself in after the global recession and banking collapse and the achievements while not spectacular have borne significant fruit in terms of inwards investment and Irish exports.

Initiatives such as increased its investment in Silicon Valley. Since the holding of the first Global Irish Economic Forum in Farmleigh in 2009, funding of $502,648 has been granted to Irish Technology Leadership Group by the Department of Foreign Affairs, towards the establishment of a secretariat and to develop and expand the organisation‟s activities.

There are of course significant differences between the Welsh and Irish Governments, their status, willingness to act and what they are able to do in terms of economic development of course, but even the establishment of a global economic welsh network by the Welsh Government to help co-ordinate the Welsh Diaspora in business, technology, cultural and sport to help promote Wales around the world would be significant and extremely beneficial to a failing welsh economy.

But do we have anyone with the vision in Cardiff Bay to grasp the idea and make something like this a reality; I sincerely doubt it which is a real shame for Wales.

What does £40 million buy you?

George Osborne announced a freeze in Council Tax in England for this year in his conference speech earlier this week and as a result the Welsh Government will get around £40 million as a result of the Barnett consequential. The rather crass way it was announced got backs up as did David Cameron, George Osborne, Cheryl Gillan and the Welsh Tories suggesting that Carwyn Jones government should follow suit.

Which means Carwyn won’t freeze Welsh council tax for the very reason why the UK Government will freeze it in England namely political advantage and besides it’s another opportunity for Welsh Ministers to show local government whose boss by denying them the extra cash.

There is another more pressing reason for the reluctance to follow suit and that is Budget votes, Ministers are calculating why help struggling middle income families in Wales that Labour aren’t very keen on anyway, when they can cheaply buy one of the Opposition Parties with money that is only available for this financial year. And like the Programme for Government last week, the draft budget is highly political and threadbare and dressed up in grand ideas of growth and skills that the media have swallowed whole once again.

Politics aside I would freeze council tax and help ease the pressure on family finances now, because the alternative is the Welsh Government putting the cash into a Ministerial pet project or propping up one of their vested interest rather than investing in something that might actually help.