Monday Blog: Riches and Poverty
Two statistical releases from the Central Statistics Office in recent weeks did not attract as much public attention as deserved. One report concerns trends and distribution of income ( EU Survey of Income and Living Conditions ) while the other concerns the level and distribution of wealth in...
Monday Blog: The beginning of the unwinding of a European tragedy?
While the results of the general election in Greece are not known at the time of writing this Blog, it is clear that the tectonic plates of political affiliation and sentiment are shifting dramatically almost everywhere. The unthinkable suddenly becomes thinkable and the thinkable becomes irrelevant...
Monday Blog: Did austerity work?
Fiscal austerity is the topic of a conference being held today in Dublin. The question is asked: did austerity work in Ireland? A key consideration is not what might have happened if the fiscal consolidation had not been done, but, if it had been done differently with no cuts to public capital...
Monday Blog: Health crisis, taxation and wage inequality - is there a link?
Overcrowded A&E, lack of nursing home places, seasonal factors, under-investment in community health, emergencies in public mental health services, large classes, limited public childcare supports, limited public transport, rural areas under pressure, homelessness growing visibly on the streets...
Monday Blog: Joining up the dots
As a new year beckons it is time to take stock. Following a winter of civic protests and what is hopefully the beginning of the end of fiscal austerity (for now), hopes have lifted and recovery seems to be around the corner - at least for some. But, nobody can be sure what lies ahead - politically...
Monday Blog: Some research highlights from 2014
The year draws to a close and a new year begins. The Nevin Economic Research Institute was established in 2012 with the support of 24 trade unions in Ireland. Since its establishment the Institute has published a large number of research working papers and other material which can be viewed on this...
Monday Blog: Ageing well
Economics may be viewed as a dismal science but what do you make of the following biblical passage: ‘Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away’ (Psalm 90:10). Economists might sense...
Monday Blog: Things you always wanted to know about Northern Ireland public finances (Part 2)
In a previous Blog ‘ Things you always wanted to know about public finances in Northern Ireland but were afraid to ask ’ (Part 1) I outlined the main components of public spending and receipts. The arrangements for funding and how the UK Government allocates funds are complex. Three factors have...
Monday Blog: A roof over your head
A roof over your head is a fundamental human need and right. Purchasing or renting a place to live typically takes a big chunk of lifetime earnings or income. It is the biggest single cost facing most workers or households. Recent decades have seen a significant change in the way people live, work...
NERI Seminar: Devolution in the United Kingdom Post Scottish Referendum
In the aftermath of the Scottish Independence referendum, a broader discussion has begun about the future of economic governance in the United Kingdom. If further welfare and tax raising are to be devolved to Holyrood, what could this mean for the administrations in Belfast and Cardiff? What could...