The line-up for the 2016 Trinity Economic Forum has been announced. WebSummit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave, newly appointed Trinity lecturer David McWilliams, former Department of Finance secretary general John Moran and more will be speaking at the college based event during the first weekend in February.
This year TEF has managed to secure sponsorship from the National Treasury Management Agency and the Mazars group. NTMA chief economist Rossa White and Mazars partner Joe Carr will be delivering talks at the event.
TEF’s website describes the impetus for its founding as hoping to bring together the three viewpoints which dominate the conversation about Ireland’s economy. “Economists who look for the theoretically correct answer, the business person who looks at the practical side of things, and politicians, who as far as we can see, just want to get re-elected. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be an awful lot of productive conversation between these viewpoints.
We want TEF to drive change, inspiring students and professionals alike to apply entrepreneurial flair to economic thinking and offer decisive, forward thinking leadership for economic policy”, their mission statement ends.
A contingent of journalists will also feature at the event. Irish Times foreign editor, and former Trinity News staff member Patrick Smyth will be present, while BBC journalist and professor of economics Linda Yueh will speak at a panel on the future of China.
Organisers of TEF this year hope to attract over 300 students from Irish universities. Key topics set for discussion this year include the possibility of a Brexit, China’s global dominance, the Black Economy and others.