Opportunities are Multiplied as they are Seized
Maureen Walsh
Managing Director, DeCare
The DeCare team recently celebrated our 25th Anniversary in Ireland. Like any story, there are many pages and chapters to reflect upon and look forward to. These two and a half decades have been filled with progress for the team, professionally and personally.
DeCare’s success is a direct result of the consistent ability of our team to evolve, master, create, upskill, reskill and innovate in both their professional and personal lives. Quality of life underpins our ability to make meaningful contributions with exponential impact. Ireland, particularly the West of Ireland, provides a unique quality of life that is sought after globally.
DeCare is privileged to provide dental and vision benefits to over 70,000 members and over 650 companies operating in Ireland and provides claims and dental network services to over 7 million dental members based in the United States.
An estimated $710 billion a year is spent on oral treatment cost and productivity losses. Our benefits and services contribute to higher living standards for our team and our members as they go through the life course. By 2046, over one-third of the Irish population will be over sixty, and each generation will retain their teeth for longer. Ireland is now one of the world’s most prosperous economies.
The DeCare team and the teams in firms of all sizes, have played a key role in creating tangible and intangible assets, raising living standards and contributing to Ireland’s economic success and the success of global operations. The DeCare team is involved in initiatives such as Junior Achievement, Project Open Doors, and invests in bursary and research programs for oral health innovation.
We must ensure that our education, health, personal taxation system and infrastructure supports the opportunity ahead.
As the new government forms, there must be a relentless focus on investment in the education system and training that meets the requirements in an ever-changing landscape. Forecasted demand for education is expected to increase by twenty percent to 2033. It is imperative that funds in the National Training fund are released strategically. By 2024, it’s estimated that forty percent of workers will require up to six months of reskilling. Ireland has always led on this front and must continue to do so. Our team consistently embraces opportunities to create.
We see from our partnerships with companies in Ireland how much they are investing in dental, vision and health benefits for their teams. Reform is necessary on the BIK relief to approach the investment in health and dental care.
The income tax system should be broad-based and be designed to support an economic model driven by talent that can choose to work anywhere.
We have a unique opportunity, from a position of strength, to invest in quality public infrastructure such as rail to support the success created by the workforce and their families.
We look forward to the day the train runs from Claremorris to Galway to Limerick. An essential route of transportation to support the thriving businesses, students, visitors, investors, in Ireland and indeed the West.“Opportunities are multiplied as they are seized”.
