Warning on recession, Finance Ireland’s mortgage sale, and Makhlouf’s salary

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

Finance Ireland chief executive Billy Kane, who is selling a pool of mortgages to investors to help fund new lending. Photograph: Bryan James Brophy for The Irish Times
Finance Ireland chief executive Billy Kane, who is selling a pool of mortgages to investors to help fund new lending. Photograph: Bryan James Brophy for The Irish Times

The chances of another recession in Ireland are 100 per cent, as the country is a small, open economy, highly-indebted, and relying on international investors for 90 per cent of its borrowings, the head of the National Treasury Management Agency told an Oireachtas committee yesterday. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

Non-bank lender Finance Ireland is offering ¤290 million worth of mortgages for sale to international investors to fund further growth. Barry O'Halloran has the details.

Incoming Central Bank of Ireland Governor Gabriel Makhlouf will be paid a salary of ¤286,790 per year, meaning he will earn more than Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve. Peter Hamilton examines the figures.

In his weekly column, John FitzGerald wonders why inequality in life expectancy receives much less attention than income inequality.

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Our Interview of the Week is Energia chief executive Ian Thom, who tells Barry O'Halloran about its plan to invest €3 billion on energy projects in Ireland.

President Michael D Higgins visited Germany this week, and was a timely reminder of the growing trade links between the two countries, especially with Brexit on the horizon.

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Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times