Monday Blog: Northern Ireland has taken greatest hit on living standards
A key issue in the run-up to the UK General Election has been changes in living standards. While economics is not everything in the universe, the level and change in living standards is a very important factor in shaping the climate of public opinion. Not just the level and change in living...
NERI Seminar: A Future Worth Working For
Yesterday's seminar given by the Director of the NERI, Tom Healy, focused on setting the parameters for a clear, long-term vision for the Irish economy to emerge. The seminar is based on a recent working paper that argues this vision must be based on concrete goals that can be observed, measured and...
Monday Blog: Education at the cutting edge of a new vision
[Text of address to be given at Irish National Teachers Organisation Annual Conference in Ennis, Co Clare, on 6 April 2015] Easter week marks the time when many education related organisations hold their annual gathering. It is an occasion of discussion, meetings, announcements, statements...
The social wage as a mechanism for a widespread recovery in living standards
Recovery has begun. However, the economic collapse and years of aggressive reductions in government spending mean the recovery is starting from a position where key public services are stretched, state-sponsored family supports diminished, core welfare rates cut for those under 26, and a lack of...
Monday Blog: TTIP - the best thing since the invention of sliced pan bread?
There is widespread official support for the Transatlantic Trade, Investment Partnership (TTIP) across European member states – especially in the Republic of Ireland where the level of enthusiasm and zeal for promoting TTIP exceeds that of other member states. TTIP is seen as a saving grace to pull...
Monday Blog: We never had it so good?
Some years ago, during the Roaring Celtic Tiger period, I had occasion to attend a conference which treated the idea and measurement of Human Well-Being. Speaking to a former Taoiseach who had just joined the proceedings, I informed him that the participants were not entirely sure if life was...
Monday Blog: It's all about choices
With a general election in the Republic of Ireland looming sometime between now and this time next year it is timely to consider what choices and policy options are appropriate. The Nevin Economic Research Institute is not associated with any political party or platform. Our job is to undertake...
Employment in the public sector
As shown in the latest edition of the Quarterly Economic Facts, the public sector in the Republic of Ireland accounts for 18.4 per cent of total employment—not far from the average level across OECD countries. The public sector employees make up 20 per cent of the total number of people working in...
Incomes still 14% below pre-crisis levels
Yesterday, the UK think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies issued a report noting that average UK household incomes had returned to around their pre-recession level after a “historically slow recovery”. The latest data on Irish income levels tell a different story. Using data from the CSO’s SILC...
Monday Blog: A wage recovery
In the last year the Central Bank has urged trade unions to raise their wage demands. What? Yes it did happen. But not here. The German Central Bank, the Bundesbank, urged German trade unions to up their wage demands – at least above the rate of inflation (the message was relayed through Jens...