There are no magic solutions to the State’s poverty problemsThe policy mix needed to deal with inequity is complex, not something easily fixed by changes to the welfare or tax systemsFri Nov 22 2019 - 05:15
Brexit could see our ham sandwiches confiscated at the Border againJohn FitzGerald: Boris Johnson’s unrealistic timetable for trade deal could bring us back to dark daysFri Nov 15 2019 - 03:15
Germany offers lessons for those who want a united IrelandBreaking up a country is relatively easy but, as the Germans discovered, putting it together again is much more challengingFri Nov 08 2019 - 06:18
North’s economy is facing serious consequences from English nationalismJohn FitzGerald: A sharp fall in vital transfers to Northern Ireland after Brexit is likelyFri Nov 01 2019 - 05:30
The relentless downward spiral of BrexitWith checks between the North and Britain adding to the costs for businesses, it’s no wonder the DUP is crossFri Oct 25 2019 - 05:19
Three Nobel winners prove economics is not such a dismal scienceEsther Duflo’s research in developing countries has practical impact on tackling povertyThu Oct 17 2019 - 17:06
Paschal’s porridge just right for keeping the bears awayBudget needed to be Goldilocks solution to keep economy from overheating or coolingFri Oct 11 2019 - 06:03
Interconnector is not just about electricity, it's about powerJohn Fitzgerald: if Ireland is to generate 40% of its electricity from wind we need to double our interconnection with Britain and FranceThu Oct 03 2019 - 17:58
John FitzGerald: Sectoral mix of employment has changed since the crashEconomists from the Irish Government Economic Service show the value of having in-house analysis capacityFri Sept 27 2019 - 04:48
Beef farmers have real problems and they will get worseBrexit, removal of EU protections and rise of meat alternatives are death knell for sectorFri Sept 20 2019 - 05:24
Irish unity poses greater risks to Northern Ireland than Brexit doesJohn FitzGerald: Both North and South could pay a large price for unity in the near futureFri Sept 13 2019 - 02:45
Northern Ireland’s economy is threatened by more than BrexitJohn FitzGerald: The North faces decades of inertia unless there is urgent reformFri Sept 06 2019 - 05:24
The UK already has a plan that would break the Brexit backstop deadlockJohn FitzGerald: Drive towards making Teesside a free port could offer a way forwardFri Aug 30 2019 - 05:45
No-deal Brexit: a nightmare scenario for farmers in the NorthMany Northern farmers will be unable to continue in businessThu Aug 22 2019 - 17:37
John FitzGerald: Congestion charges may be the fairest way to tax road usersIn the next few years, we will need to commit to a new tax regime for road transportFri Aug 16 2019 - 04:05
Farmers could boost their incomes by switching from beefJohn FitzGerald: The economics of beef are on a knife edge – changing makes senseThu Jul 25 2019 - 15:55
Minimum wage a tool for equality but no panacea for povertyJohn Fitzgerald: Ireland’s lower-paid workers are not always from poorest householdsFri Jul 19 2019 - 03:45
Ireland's high prices are a matter of perspectiveJohn FitzGerald: Price level here is more than compensated for by other factorsFri Jul 12 2019 - 05:34
There is a social gradient in ill health and earlier deaths: Poor people die youngerInequality in life expectancy has received much less attention than income inequalityFri Jul 05 2019 - 05:30
John FitzGerald: Budget 2020 proposals may not be the right answerPumping money into construction will lead to price rises, not increased supplyFri Jun 28 2019 - 05:58
John FitzGerald: What is actually behind Ireland's economic growth?There is still work to be done in separating out multinationals from the rest of the economyFri Jun 21 2019 - 04:15
John FitzGerald: Unpicking global connections will be damaging for allPopulist politicians continue to blame globalisation and foreigners for society’s illsFri Jun 14 2019 - 04:25
John FitzGerald: Measuring the difference child benefit makesResearch found in low-income households benefit spent by mothers on their childrenFri Jun 07 2019 - 05:47
John FitzGerald: €50 each is a small price for EU membershipIrish contributions will increase if UK leaves union but benefits are worth the costFri May 31 2019 - 05:31
Irish economy continues to buck global trendsJohn FitzGerald: New survey shows employment figures set to grow despite threatsFri May 24 2019 - 05:13
John FitzGerald: Climate change and the end of an empireCollapse of Rome shows how failure to adapt can have catastrophic consequencesFri May 17 2019 - 05:51
John FitzGerald: State needs to get better at running the rule over big projectsWhile a sophisticated method for assessing the value of public projects is now applied, this does not guarantee final costs will reflect initial estimatesFri May 10 2019 - 11:10
New Brexit deadline makes next Irish budget hard to get rightJohn FitzGerald: Should Donohoe prepare State for Brexit crash-out or further growth?Fri May 03 2019 - 05:27
John FitzGerald: North's poor education system a recipe for failureIn the North, 21% per cent of 30-34 year olds have not completed their post-primary educationFri Apr 26 2019 - 04:20
Levy property tax on the equity in house not its total valueJohn FitzGerald: The levy is not perfect but it may offer a solution for the housing crisisFri Apr 19 2019 - 05:00
Babysitters’ clubs are not immune to the harsh reality of economicsJohn FitzGerald: Capitol Hill babysitting co-op’s fate offers a lesson on quantitative easingThu Apr 11 2019 - 16:00
Sinn Féin loans Bill may increase the risk of another economic crashJohn FitzGerald: Move on securitisations could hurt consumers and housing supplyFri Apr 05 2019 - 05:55
How Ireland has benefited from our economistsJohn FitzGerald: Government policies have seen better outcomes thanks to domestic expertiseFri Mar 29 2019 - 05:16
Technical change has probably meant loss of more unskilled jobs than globalisationThe long-term solution to loss of unskilled jobs is to ensure that those leaving education have the skills to work in a modern economyFri Mar 22 2019 - 05:20
The Border after Brexit: less a backstop, more a loophole?John FitzGerald: The UK’s proposed ‘honesty box’ approach to NI-British trade raises problemsFri Mar 15 2019 - 06:30
Contrast between US and EU working hours rooted in cultural differenceAbout a third of the difference in working hours can be explained by annual holidaysFri Mar 08 2019 - 05:45
MetroLink: Strength of local lobbies should not determine outcomeJohn FitzGerald: Why has the projected Luas Green Line closure time jumped fourfold?Fri Mar 01 2019 - 05:41
What I’ve learned from my family’s efforts to reduce carbon emissionsBiggest problem for households is cutting fossil fuel energy consumed in home heatingFri Feb 22 2019 - 05:37
Brain drain in Northern Ireland much worse than in the RepublicPermanent migration of graduates has had serious negative impact on North’s economyFri Feb 15 2019 - 05:18
Brexit could be about to overturn a 150-year pattern for IrelandJohn FitzGerald: Britain’s influence over Irish migration and wages may be waningFri Feb 08 2019 - 05:50
John FitzGerald: No-deal Brexit would make Budget 2019 look prescientInstead of fuelling the boom the Government should be saving for future shocksFri Feb 01 2019 - 07:23
How Ireland benefits from our aid work overseasJohn FitzGerald: Irish Aid’s activity boosts our influence and opens doors to tradeFri Jan 25 2019 - 05:25
The ‘backstop’ was a British proposal, not one tabled by Ireland or the EUJohn FitzGerald: One concern about a bad-tempered Brexit is that some of the potential ways of smoothing the economic consequences may be ignoredFri Jan 18 2019 - 05:11
Cost of capital projects often rockets due to lofty notionsChildren’s hospital design another example where the best is the enemy of the goodFri Jan 11 2019 - 05:36
Brexit not the only danger on the horizon for IrelandUnpredictable nature of US trade policy poses a particular danger for super-open economiesFri Jan 04 2019 - 05:15
Ireland can thank Trump for our corporation tax windfallJohn FitzGerald: Surge in revenue from multinationals is a boost but masks realityFri Dec 21 2018 - 05:40
John FitzGerald: Carbon tax must be seen to be fairMitigating effects of carbon tax on those with lowest incomes is essentialFri Dec 14 2018 - 05:30
Medical redress regime is damaging health systemJohn FitzGerald: Claims system adds cost to health service with adverse effectsFri Dec 07 2018 - 04:35
John FitzGerald: Third level education pays – but at a costRecent CSO study shows that workers with degrees earn two-thirds more than othersFri Nov 30 2018 - 05:35
John FitzGerald: Graduate brain drain has potential to damage economyPermanent emigration of people with key skills could be serious loss to Irish economyFri Nov 23 2018 - 10:18
