His concern “that the variety and difficulty of administrative problems have so increased, and the tools and techniques for solving them have so developed, as to render administration more than ever a science” resulted in the creation of the Institute of Public Administration in 1957. To this day, the Institute continues to provide education, training and research to the public sector, enabling better policy making through a better understanding of the Irish economy. In addition, Whitaker was instrumental in setting up the Economic and Social Research Institute – the first institution to provide independent research and analysis of the Irish economy. 3 For example, nine Regional Technical Colleges were established during the 1970s to provide vocational tertiary level training. The Industrial Development Authority ensured that government funding of higher education adapted to meet businesses’ increasing demands for skilled labour in areas such as engineering and computer sciences, helping to ensure people could develop the skills necessary to work in the expanding sectors. 4 Whitaker, TK (1955/1956) 'Capital formation, saving and economic progress', Dublin: Journal of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, Vol. XVIX, pp. 184-209. 2  2  All speeches are available online at www.bankofengland.co.uk/speeches  2  The Irish experience over the past half century reinforces the lessons learnt in the UK from the three profound technological revolutions – institutions are essential to smooth the major transitions and to ensure their promise is realised by as many as possible.
The Future of Work Speech given by Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England  2018 Whitaker Lecture, Central Bank of Ireland 14 September 2018  I am grateful to Clare Macallan and Jennifer Nemeth for their assistance in preparing these remarks. I would also like to thank Will Abel, Andy Haldane, Carsten Jung, Rana Sajedi and Greg Thwaites for the background research and analysis they conducted. 1  All speeches are available online at www.bankofengland.co.uk/speeches  It is a pleasure to deliver this lecture in honour of TK Whitaker. Whitaker’s career in public policy spanned a period of profound structural change in the Irish economy. In 1956, when he became Secretary of the Department for Finance, the Irish economy was isolated and uncompetitive. Growth in output per capita was lagging the rest of Europe and the steady tide of emigration was gradually shrinking the population. By the time Whitaker’s career drew to a close, the Celtic Tiger was roaring: Ireland had caught up with even the most prosperous nations in the EU, GDP growth was averaging over 5%, and the population had increased by two-thirds as emigration switched to immigration. The catalyst for this transformation was opening up to foreign trade and investment. Beginning with the 1958 report Economic Development, Whitaker strongly advocated replacing the old strategy of self-sufficiency with a new one of export-led growth, which led in time to Ireland joining the EU. For many, this is the greatest long-term consequence of his work.