Ireland's position as a world leader in areas such as engineering, software and science is coming under intense pressure from other countries with equally well-educated workforces, President Mary McAleese warned yesterday.
She pointed out that, in any one day, 80 per cent of the coronary stents inserted in operations around the world were made in Ireland.
"Forty per cent of the artificial hips, no matter where you get them in the world, they will have been made here.That is an extraordinary story for a little country," the President said.
"And every year we are either first, second or third in the world in terms of exporting of software."
Mrs McAleese added that many people wanted to take our place. "They want to be [ number] one, two and three. They have the same ambition as we have. They've got clever people too . . ." she said.
"So the pressure is on us to keep ahead of that posse that is gathering at our back.
"That pressure is very real and the only answer to it, the only antidote to it, is to keep inspiring new generations of scientists, of technologists, of researchers, of innovators, of entrepreneurs."
She was speaking at the launch of Engineered! A Week Of Wonder 2008, a series of events organised to increase awareness of engineering.
About 5,000 people are expected to take part in this week's activities, which include treasure hunts, robot-building and boat-building competitions, Navy boat tours, and educational workshops for children.
The week is run by Steps to Engineering, an Engineers Ireland programme aimed at encouraging students to explore a career in engineering.
Engineers Ireland president Jack Golden said it was "vitally important" to encourage young people to consider engineering and science as a career.
He said Irish engineers were now at the forefront of new technologies that would shape our future and protect the planet.
He pointed out that nine of the world's top-10 pharmaceutical companies were based in Ireland, together with 15 of the top-25 biomedical device companies.
This presented "fantastic opportunities" to young people with an interest in these fields, he said.
Details of the week's events are listed on www.weekofwonder.ie
