Peter Clinch

Clinch's academic specialisms are sustainable economic growth and environmental economics. In 2002, he co-authored After the Celtic Tiger with Brendan Walsh and Frank Convery pointing out fragilities in the Irish economy in advance Ireland's economic crisis.[1] Clinch was a critic of Irish government decisions on planning policy[2] and decentralisation during the Irish Celtic Tiger boom describing the latter as “totally inconsistent with the National Spatial Strategy" [3][4] and was said to be unenthusiastic about Ireland's social partnership model.[5] He was subsequently employed as Special Adviser to the Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland between June 2008 and January 2011 where he advised on medium-term economic policy, enterprise policy and environmental policy which included drafting the productivity growth plan “Building Ireland’s Smart Economy” published by the Government in December 2008.[6][7] He was a participant in the first Irish Global Economic Forum in September 2009.[8]

He is Jean Monnet (Full) Professor and Chair of Public Policy at University College Dublin.[9] He is a former Vice-President of University College Dublin UCD where he had responsibility for Innovation and Corporate Partnerships.[10]

Clinch is chairperson of Science Foundation Ireland[11] and former Chair of the National Competitiveness Council of Ireland.[12]

He has over 100 publications.

• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences[13]
• Lifetime Honorary Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute[14]