Germany’s economic engine stutters as it relies on skills of yesterday
Traditional, more narrowly focused engineering skills are no longer as valuable as in the past
John FitzGerald
John FitzGerald columns
Trump’s pharma clampdown threatens ‘dramatic’ fall in Irish corporation tax receipts - ESRI
Report warns that pressure on Big Pharma to cut medicine prices in US could have bigger impact on tax take than relocation of plants
Ireland’s first minister for finance, who had a taste for fine French wine and set up the Botanic Gardens
John Foster managed the country’s finances for 34 years to 1811
Ratifying the Mercosur deal is a no-brainer
Allegation that Mercosur might adversely affect beef farmers through falling prices is a scare story without real foundation
If we want fairer wealth distribution in Ireland, we need to tax property properly
As families have become smaller and household wealth has risen, inherited wealth can drive growing inequality in our society
It costs a fortune to feed the AI monster, but is it worth it?
Educating the next generation makes more sense than relying on computer brains
Nuclear generators, hydrogen and battery storage are options we should explore to generate clean electricity
Wind and solar can’t be relied on to replace gas as a reliable source to power our electricity supply
Growth in Irish living standards is likely to disappoint over the next 20 years
Not much scope for a further increase in third-level participation and productivity growth must slow
Spending on infrastructure makes sense, cutting VAT on hospitality is madness
However, unless the planning system is reformed, I’m unlikely during my lifetime to ride the metro or drink Shannon water from my tap
What US economic madness means for the rest of the world
Tariffs and a weaker dollar spell trouble for Irish exporters
Irish economy needs to take a break
Either we increase spending to develop infrastructure substantially or we need to slow the economy so it can fit into its old clothes
There is a strong logic for US firms to continue making drugs in Ireland for non-US markets
Whatever strategy the US adopts, there are serious risks to Government revenue from the sector after 2026
Farm incomes are up but EU subsidies are likely to fall, along with beef farming
Prospect of reduced EU subsidies and climate rules cloud the future for farmers
There are several ingenious tacks we can take to help cut our emissions
We should raise the cost of fossil fuel cars through higher taxes, while timber housing would reduce emissions from concrete production
The numbers say we need private rental investment to address housing crisis
Latest Government proposals don’t deal effectively with the challenge of encouraging private investment in homes to rent
Can belated economic sanity save the US from a Liz Truss-style fiasco?
The art of the tariff deal may prove far more damaging to the US than Europe
Governments must act fast when the economic winds turn
A short, sharp shock is far more preferable than a prolonged slump
Pity the EU negotiator seeking a US trade agreement with minimal damage
Even 60 years ago, in a much simpler world with a much less global supply chain, deals took a long time to iron out
Trump’s tariffs could endanger vital drug research so EU may have to step in
Someone will have to fund research if US president follows through on stated aim of cutting drug prices
A numbers game: Why are there so few cross-Border romances?
Could relative lack of north-south relationships reflect the separate development of society in the two jurisdictions?
How to fix the Northern Ireland economy
After years of economic underperformance, the North needs drastic change
John FitzGerald: Irish unification would hit South harder than 2008 crash
Republic’s prosperity may make a united Ireland look attractive to many in the North but but the cost would be very high for southerners
Ardnacrusha at 100: What could happen if Ireland showed similar ambition today and invested 20% of national budget in energy?
Spending €24bn on projects such as upgrading the grid and electrifying transport and heating could transform the nation
Failure to connect electricity systems on island of Ireland has led to higher prices and greater emissions
Given our dependence on electric power, delivery of modern interconnector should be faster than one built in wartime
A 145% US tariff on China will hit Apple, and Ireland’s corporation tax
If 20% EU rate is reinstated, it would be best to wait for US consumers to feel the pinch
America’s war on science could have drastic results for research and drug development
Crisis in US presents an opportunity for EU to become a world centre of excellence
How UK social welfare reforms hit Northern Ireland
About a quarter of adults of working age in Northern Ireland get disability payments
The pandemic has had lasting effects on the Irish economy
Five years since the first lockdown, we are still dealing with Covid-19 in terms of children’s wellbeing, climbing house prices and new work practices
St Patrick was an immigrant – and Ireland’s economy continues to benefit from them
The growth in anti-immigrant sentiment in the EU tends to ignore the significant economic contribution made by inward migration
The best response to Trump’s tariffs is to trade freely with the rest of the world
Trump’s trade thinking may change, but EU negotiations with the US will require cool heads
If Trump messes with the Fed, a serious US economic crisis will follow
Attempts to force the Federal Reserve’s hand would likely see cost of US borrowings surge
Declining birth rate means there will be fewer people of working age to support the growing number of pensioners
Measures such as parental leave and childcare subsidies have done little to halt the slide, research has found
Second-hand EV market should be subsidised by Government
Taxing second-hand combustion engine car imports would allow Government to subsidise EV sales
EU must be reformed to boost competitiveness
Changes proposed by Mario Draghi must be implemented quickly
State needs to invest in Navy and Air Corps to beef up our ability to protect vital undersea connections
Security of our vital marine interconnectors must be given high priority
Striving for net zero will cost less than we thought, but it will not be plain sailing
The incoming government must do more to encourage EV ownership as sales have slumped
Higher pay for public service staff to afford homes should be time limited and phased out
Rapid growth in highly paid multinational jobs has put significant upward pressure on housing prices
How can money and time be saved in the cost of tendering for public contracts?
Changing the spec of any construction project can be an expensive business - just look at the National Children’s Hospital or the Leinster House bike shed
Ireland has won the corporation tax game for now, but will that last?
The upcoming Trump presidency presents a huge challenge to maintaining the State’s tax receipts
The power market should reflect that renewable energy is cheaper
Ireland desperately needs to build out its grid to accommodate more use of wind energy
Next government must get real about the promises it made during the campaign
The programme for government should explicitly state that all commitments are contingent on the wider economic picture, which looks volatile
How could the EU respond if Trump imposes tariffs?
While Ireland appears vulnerable, particularly in relation to pharmaceuticals, aircraft would be an obvious way for the EU to hit back
Climate change is pushed off the agenda in election campaign
Most parties have little to say on a topic that is likely to be one of the biggest issues for the next government
Parties’ general election manifestos struggle to make the figures add up
Missing aggregate cost figures for all of any political party’s promises would highlight the gap between ambition and prudence
No substitute for experience when it comes to delivering infrastructure
Any Department of Infrastructure will need a long time to get up to speed as happened when department responsibility for climate was switched
With an election imminent, it is important party policies and manifestos are objectively costed and tested
Independent assessment of political proposals is an important safeguard for the voting public
Trump’s trade policies would make Mexico far better off at the expense of US workers
In a US trade war, the EU could be tempted to take retaliatory action against American corporate tax in Ireland
Employees love the flexibility of hybrid working but it could prove costly in the long run
Real collaboration and innovation occurs face to face, with a freer flow of ideas and discussion than virtual encounters
In Ireland, we seem to have lost the capacity to build at scale
Post-pandemic, there is no shortage of cash in the banks or the exchequer to help finance the investment Ireland badly needs
We could be having too much of an economic good thing
‘Dutch disease’ is when a bonanza turns into an inflation shock. State could yet suffer a mild bout of it
Green energy is good for environment and can protect from economic shocks
Financial turmoil sparked by everything from war in Ukraine to the 1956 Suez crisis offers lessons in why we should decarbonise our economy
Ireland is incredibly vulnerable to an energy shock. We must cut fossil fuel dependence
Green transition will help the planet and insulate us from price shocks
Aerodynamic pricing: Air fares will rise to meet demand this Christmas
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary is right about one thing: The passenger cap at Dublin Airport makes no sense
Just because Ireland is good for data centres does not mean they are good for us
There should be no more data centres permitted in the coming years, and local authorities are not the right bodies to make the call
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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