Tony O’Brien: We need real originality and invention in this time of crisis

A mere €1m in funding for public sector innovation isn’t going to cut it: the government has to step up to the plate

The best legacy of the pandemic would be for fast-paced innovation to become normalised and part of our basic culture.

Ireland needs innovation like never before. We need new ways of doing old things to make them safe for Covid-19 times, and we will need entirely new services and offerings to help us recover from the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

Accelerated innovation has been a welcome hallmark of the emergency response to the virus. This has been a week of hope delivered, above all, by the promise of vaccines that are the ...