The UK economy posted its second quarter of positive growth yesterday, and many have heralded the beginning of a long awaited recovery. However, while some growth is better than none, some perspective is needed before one starts popping champagne corks. Firstly, 0.6% can hardly be describes as...

In 2012 there were 32.1 people available for work for each vacancy. Though there are some shortages for specific skills (Forfás has recently released a report on the issue), the main cause of unemployment is not a lack of people willing to work, but simply a lack of jobs. In contrast, in Germany...

On Saturday last, July 13th, Claiming Our Future held a conference in Corke Park to consider the options and policy choices for Budget 2014. As part of the conference, I presented some options on taxation - my slides are available here. In it I argued that the Budget should focus on growth and...

There are many measures examining differences in various socio-economic characteristics among men and women. In general, women are better educated, healthier, live longer but earn less - factors which in themselves point towards gaps in societal equality for both sexes. Focusing just on income, it...

The ONS yesterday released the third estimate of GDP figures for the first quarter of 2013 where growth was revised down from 0.6% to 0.3%. The revisions to recent historical data also erased the "double-dip" recession that was thought to have occurred in in the first quarter of 2012. Growth in 2012...

While caution is always advisable in examining the latest quarterly data, the release by the Central Statistics Office of the latest quarterly national accounts was something of a wake-up call to those eager for news of a recovery. The Republic of Ireland is in a deep stagnation. The downturn has...