
Reducing VAT on energy upgrade works will create jobs
IBEC’s Danny McCoy summed up the current dilemma very neatly recently on RTE’s Primetime. Talking about such positives as continuing export growth and positive balance of payments, he found himself accused of just wanting to “get the good news out there”. The IBEC Director General

Futile negativism serves no purpose
To paraphrase Jim Callaghan (the former UK Prime Minister not the FF Dublin City Councillor) “Bad news can be half-way around the world before good news has got its boots on”. Recent stories of Jim McDaid’s resignation and the holding of the Donegal South

FG and Labour’s lack of economic policies
The recent Dail economic debate turned out to be more interesting than I had expected, particularly the contributions from back benchers on both sides. Whether the 3% deficit can be achieved without running the risk of deflating the economy to destruction depends almost exclusively on the

We must take TK Whitaker’s advice
Whether it was the protests in France at the increased retirement age or the announcement by the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer of the axing of almost a half a million public sector jobs, events during recent weeks reminded us that Ireland is not alone in

Chilean miners example to all
Without a doubt the story of recent weeks, if not the year, was the remarkable rescue of the 33 trapped Chilean miners. It was a rescue attempt that seemed improbable, if not downright impossible. It is only a few weeks ago since the authorities were

We must now confront the scourge of unemployment
Remarks by Willie O’Dea T.D., Dail Éireann – Wednesday October 27th 2010 Statements on Macro Economic and Fiscal Outlook. We must now confront the scourge of unemployment: Having a job does more for a person than a legion of social workers During his contribution to