Many people are worried that the Celtic Tiger is becoming a "predatory animal", the President, Mrs McAleese, has said.

She said that, while people take pride in the Republic's economic achievements, there was a worry in the community that the Celtic Tiger had "grown claws" and not everybody was benefiting from the spoils of the booming economy.

She added that the new partnerships between communities in Northern Ireland held a lesson for Irish business which should continue to integrate with local communities.

She was speaking after launching two initiatives designed to link businesses in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

She said Irish business people had created an "economic miracle" and should be thanked for their tireless work. Many of them had given large amounts of free time to ensure their ideas came to fruition.

Recent economic successes, she added, could not have come about without the "unique social contract between employers, unions and farmers". The first initiative launched yesterday was an extension of the Plato Small Business Network to Northern Ireland.

The Plato programme involves large companies assisting small and medium enterprises with advice on management and other issues, which, according to a recent study by Goodbody Economic consultants, has increased turnover by 22 per cent in the firms which have participated so far.

The other initiative involves South Dublin Chamber of Commerce developing three new programmes to strengthen relations between business and the wider community, particularly less advantaged sections of society. The programmes will be based on those already operating in Northern Ireland.