T. K. Whitaker
| T. K. Whitaker | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Thomas Kenneth Whitaker 8 December 1916 Rostrevor, County Down, Ireland |
| Died | 9 January 2017 (aged 100) Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Spouse(s) | Nora Fogarty (1941–94; her death) Mary Moore (2005-08; her death) |
| Children | 6 |
Thomas Kenneth "Ken" Whitaker (8 December 1916 – 9 January 2017) was an Irish economist and former public servant, credited with a pivotal role in the economic development of Ireland.
Whitaker was born in Rostrevor, County Down, on 8 December 1916. His father, Edward Whitaker, was from County Westmeath and was assistant manager of a linen mill in the town.
In 1956 Whitaker was appointed Secretary of the Department of Finance at the age of thirty-nine. His appointment took place at a time when Ireland's economy was in deep depression. Economic growth was non-existent, inflation apparently insoluble, unemployment rife, living standards low and emigration at a figure not far below the birth rate. Whitaker believed that free trade, with increased competition and the end of protectionism, would become inevitable and that jobs would have to be created by a shift from agriculture to industry and services. He formed a team of officials within the department which produced a detailed study of the economy, culminating in a plan recommending policies for improvement. The plan was accepted by the government and was transformed into a White Paper which became known as the First Programme for Economic Expansion, and quite unusually this was published with his name attached in November 1958. The programme became known as the "Grey Book" brought the stimulus of foreign investment into the Irish economy. Before devoting himself to poetry, Thomas Kinsella was Whitaker's private secretary.
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