Fair dues to the Government. They take old news, an old set of policy projections, repackage it with a shiny new bow, and launch a fresh programme - which is presented as a stimulus and investment-driven job creation programme. And a lot of folk go along with it (though some like Miriam Lord sees the [...]

According to Brian Cowen today, NTMA’s Oliver Whelan has “made it very clear that we are seen as a stable economy, forging ahead with taking decisions.” This was said in relation to Moody’s decision to downgrade Irish debt to Aa2 from Aa1. So, while rating agencies carry the usual health warning considering their part in [...]

Over on Progressive Economy Michael Taft says that progressives need to unite around a common analysis and respond to what appears to be the aspirational nature of many of our demands. Or as he put’s it:
“…to call for all manner of good things without specifying where we are going to source the money: why should [...]

Michael Burke, writing on Progressive Economy today draws our attention to an important debate about Ireland and the contrasting views from some economic heavyweights about whether or not ‘markets’ approve or disapprove of austerity measures. The point was raised by Paul Krugman in a recent blog post that while the Wall Street Journal praised Ireland’s [...]

Dan O’Brien from the Economist Intelligence Unit has been appointed economics editor of the Irish Times. He is someone whose opinion should be taken seriously, even if one doesn’t agree with everything he says. On last Sunday’s The Dunphy Show, Sarah Burke, one of our leading analysts on the health sector, argued for a stimulus [...]

Who is shouldering the burden of the recession? The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has this month released a report which seeks to answer this question.
The report argues that at the heart of government policy is a ‘determination to load the full cost of the collapse onto working people and the poor.’
The consequence of this [...]

Last night’s Tonight with Vincent Browne featured Michael Taft, CIT economist Tom O’Connor, and Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton. The topic was the recent ERSI report which predicted that the economy would see Ireland moving out of recession (in terms of positive growth) in the second half of 2010. Needless to say, the devil is [...]

One could despair. All the major political parties are supporting another round of fiscal contraction, though they may differ on the balance of tax increases and public spending cuts. In this respect, Fianna Fail has won that particular battle, we are just fighting within the parameters they have set. There is seemingly no challenge to [...]

Sinn Féin launched their pre-budget submission yesterday with a press conference in Buswell’s hotel, and a document which it claimed would provide the road to economic recovery. Within the current debate dominated by the rethoric of slash and burn, it was good to find out that Sinn Féin are arguing against the strategy of cuts [...]

Originally published today on Progressive Economy.
Ever have one of those moments when you just know everyone else has got it wrong and you’ve got it right? When you say, I don’t care what the fashion is, showing off your brand of boxer shorts in public is plain daft? Well, have some sympathy then for [...]