It was a week of opposing views on the importance of various sectors in ensuring the continuing buoyancy of the Irish economy.

Central Bank governor Maurice O'Connell raised the spectre of a sharp slowdown, instigated by a fall-off in investment by multinationals on the back of a slowdown in the US economy.

His warning was based on the clear inference that, without the invigorating influence of the multinational sector, the Irish economy would be an altogether different creature Enterprise Ireland, on the other hand, was remarkably upbeat in its assessment of the importance of indigenous industry to the well-being of the economy. Its chief executive Dan Flinter was bullish in targeting a doubling of sales of Irish exporting companies within the next 10 years. The question is whether the indigenous sector will be as successful in exporting, if its key markets and or clients experience the slowdown anticipated in the US.