If Trump carries through his tariff threats then chaos is comingEven in the most transactional theory of Maganomics, bluffs on tariffs can only take the US president so farSat Mar 01 2025 - 07:11
The latest housing crisis ‘solutions’: Which could work and which are hare-brained?There are many ideas to ease the housing crisis but not all are equalThu Feb 27 2025 - 12:10
Here’s what a deal to avoid Trump’s tariffs on Irish pharma would look like There may be scope for an agreement on drug exports to the US though in the other key area in dispute - regulation of digital services - room for compromise could be limitedSat Feb 22 2025 - 07:00
Remote working is here to stay and has whole new language about ‘hidden hybrid’ and ‘mouse jiggling’Reports of the death of remote working are ‘greatly exaggerated’, says ICTU with numbers of those ‘remarkably high, this far out of lockdown’Thu Feb 20 2025 - 12:47
Signals coming from Trumpland could hardly be worse for Ireland and its economyA key risk is that Donald Trump seeks to isolate Ireland as one of his first targets, because of the huge trade deficit the US has with this StateSat Feb 15 2025 - 07:00
Trump trade - a quick guide to US tariff plans Ireland has the fourth largest trade deficit with the US - and is at risk Fri Feb 14 2025 - 10:47
Ireland braced for impact from latest round of Trump tariff plans US president said he will enact import taxes on pharmaceuticals at a later date, eyeing return of industryThu Feb 13 2025 - 20:39
Here’s why Ireland is on Donald Trump’s tariffs hit list, as sweeping new measures announced The US president promises to shake up the international trade system, with potentially big implications for IrelandThu Feb 13 2025 - 19:57
Were voters misled by the previous government on housebuilding during the election? Here’s the evidenceThe previous coalition claimed nearly 40,000 homes would be completed last year - it never looked likely and with the total coming in just over 30,000 the new Government’s targets are already under pressureSat Feb 08 2025 - 07:00
The Dubs win again: The difference between Ireland’s richest and poorest counties Income distribution points to critical policy questions, including how to deal with a congested Dublin and underdevelopment in rural IrelandThu Feb 06 2025 - 13:48
Donald Trump’s trade war is real and will have big implications for IrelandNow that we know that Trump’s tariff threats are not just bluster, it is clear that risks lie ahead of the Irish economySun Feb 02 2025 - 13:28
Trump’s claim that diversity policies caused plane crash is part of an attack on ‘woke capitalism’Forget ‘greenwashing’ - now the talk in the corporate world is of “greenhushing”Sat Feb 01 2025 - 07:00
Two weeks on, the Government’s housing targets are already in tattersTarget of 300,000 new homes by 2030 looks like a pipe dreamThu Jan 30 2025 - 12:39
If the Government does its job right, the comfortable classes won’t be happyThe incoming coalition has the money and the opportunity to tackle the housing and infrastructure shortages, but has it got the drive to learn from the failures of its last term?Sat Jan 25 2025 - 07:00
Why do billionaires pay very little tax? Donald Trump and his coterie of wealthy business people likely means less support for global tax reformThu Jan 23 2025 - 12:18
What does Trump pulling out of the OECD tax deal mean for Ireland?Republic could be caught in the middle as US and EU clashWed Jan 22 2025 - 12:32
Ireland risks being caught in the middle of Trump’s tax war The US president has pulled out of the OECD tax deal and made threats which will worry the new Irish governmentTue Jan 21 2025 - 16:00
I counted 276 new spending promises in the programme for government. This is delusionalThe programme for government lacks any hint of the urgency needed on delivery: instead, what we have seen so far is process-driven, box-ticking slothSat Jan 18 2025 - 07:00
How will Donald Trump really impact Ireland?There is plenty of doom mongering about what a Trump presidency would mean for Ireland. This is what is really at stake.Thu Jan 16 2025 - 12:47
Dundrum apartments decision a symptom of broken planning system If compact living is really the goal of national policy, then Ireland really needs to get a lot better at this. Our planning system rarely acts in the interests of rentersSat Jan 11 2025 - 07:15
Could one US dollar soon be worth more than one euro? What does this mean for Ireland?For Irish businesses relying on the value of the dollar and for consumers looking at energy costs, a new volatility has entered the equationThu Jan 09 2025 - 12:05
Buoyed by Apple tax, Ireland’s €34 billion cash pile brings both opportunity and temptationThe corporate tax windfall will pay for massive investment in national infrastructure, but what happens if the tide turns? That is the dilemma for those negotiating a new government programmeWed Jan 08 2025 - 13:00
Investors are betting on Trump not keeping his promises. We’d better hope they’re rightThe bluster would be designed to appeal to the wider electorate; the reality would keep the Dow Jones average heading higher, or so the theory goesSat Jan 04 2025 - 07:00
This is the optimistic scenario for the Irish economy in 2025 Some forecasters believe the economy will expand by close to 4.5 per cent. Most other EU countries would take your hand off for half thatSat Dec 28 2024 - 07:00
Talk of a new right-left divide opening up in Irish politics is nonsenseThere is no political division on the issue of the Republic needing a bigger and more efficient State. The question is how to deliver itSun Dec 22 2024 - 07:00
Why Ireland may face a €20 billion bill if we fail to meet climate goals2030 is a significant date on the road to carbon neutralityThu Dec 19 2024 - 11:59
If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael continue business as usual, the next government will quickly be in troubleForget the talk about the rotating Taoiseach, serious strategic issues now face Ireland and getting more efficient at delivery of housing, infrastructure and public services is vitalSat Dec 07 2024 - 07:00
If you feel you can’t afford an EV, you could be right The State plans to have 850,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads by 2030 – but right now there are about 125,000 and sales have fallen sharply. What’s to be done?Thu Dec 05 2024 - 12:58
Getting a third party into government turns on key economic issues A different emphasis on economic policy agenda is in store depending on which coalition route is chosen by Fine Gael and Fianna FáilMon Dec 02 2024 - 00:00
Five things on the next minister for finance’s to do listIreland is an ‘unbelievably rich’ country with the infrastructure of a poor one. And dark clouds are gathering on the horizonSun Dec 01 2024 - 07:05
If our finances go flat, how will Ireland pay its bills? Ireland’s tax take has been soaring, but if revenues from big multinationals fall off it is important to know what leeway is there to help take the hitThu Nov 28 2024 - 11:55
There’s one question which none of the political parties want to answerWhen Labour is preaching prudence, you know we’ve got a problemSat Nov 23 2024 - 07:00
Costing the election manifestos: Making sense of the billions being thrown out by parties to win your voteSinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have both similarities and key differences in their spending plans - but will any of them be able to afford to keep their promises?Sat Nov 23 2024 - 06:00
Cliff Taylor: The key decisions which will determine how much Trump's policies will damage IrelandThe president-elect faces big calls on his high tariff agenda, with many key advisers calling for early moves to lay down a markerThu Nov 21 2024 - 12:39
All the manifestos have now been published. Here’s what you need to know about party promisesElection 2024: Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin manifestos all contain generous ‘good times’ spendingWed Nov 20 2024 - 06:00
I’ve read what Trump’s trade tsar says about the ‘tiny island nation’ of Ireland. It’s not goodThe intentions of the new administration are clear. If the promised heavy tariffs on goods entering the US from the EU are imposed, this is a big hit to our economic modelSat Nov 16 2024 - 07:10
Election campaign got off to spluttering start on economic and budget issues. Here is what it all meansAmong the variables in financial planning is the election of Donald Trump and his potential impact on foreign direct investment and taxThu Nov 14 2024 - 11:22
Election manifesto analysis: Fianna Fáil would entrust housing to the NTMA. Could it work?The sticky question of how to get things done will be key in this election campaignMon Nov 11 2024 - 18:19
Donald Trump and the threat to Ireland’s economic modelAs the new US president targets the European Union, Ireland is likely to find itself in some uncomfortable positionsSun Nov 10 2024 - 07:10
Ireland will be affected by Donald Trump’s presidency. Here’s what to expectDonald Trump has pledged to implement big economic, political and security changes. How is Ireland likely to be affected?Sat Nov 09 2024 - 06:00
Election 2024: Will the public finances allow the spending spree to continue for the next government? Government has breached its own 5 per cent spending limit each year since its introductionSat Nov 09 2024 - 06:00
Donald Trump’s economic plan: the key areas for Ireland US president-elect promises tariffs which could ignite a trade war with the EU and has sights set on corporate tax rateThu Nov 07 2024 - 13:29
A Trump win is bad news for the Irish economy. The question is how bad? US election: Tariffs and corporation tax are key areas to watch when calculating risk to Irish economy of Republican presidential victoryWed Nov 06 2024 - 08:14
What could Trump actually do if he wins - and what would this mean for Ireland?The Republican candidate has promised dramatic changes in tax and trade policies, with potentially big implications for the Irish economySat Nov 02 2024 - 07:00
Cliff Taylor: How the return of SSIA-style incentives might be on the cards for Irish householdsNew policies in election manifestos likely to try to get cash to move from household savings into equity investmentsThu Oct 31 2024 - 11:47
Simon Harris has identified the right problem, but a department of infrastructure is the wrong solutionBig foreign investors are putting projects on hold because they are losing faith in Ireland’s ability to deliver. We need to do something - but what?Sat Oct 26 2024 - 07:15
What will the election tax promises mean for your pocket?Parties will make a raft of pledges during the election campaign - but voters would be wise to be sceptical about their deliveryThu Oct 24 2024 - 12:04
The €500,000 suburban three-bed is now the house at the centre of the property price surgeThis kind of house is attracting bids both from those seeking to move and from first-time buyersSat Oct 19 2024 - 07:08
A group of borrowers is trapped in the never-never land of Irish mortgage arrearsIt is ‘extraordinary that arrears are running at such a high level 15 years after the crash’Fri Oct 18 2024 - 06:00
The €40 million pre-election gimmick no one asked for and even fewer needBudget 2025 tax break for homeowners is hard to justify when the extra tax credit for renters costs €65 millionSun Oct 13 2024 - 07:15
