John FitzGerald

As the Fed battles political interference, the constitutional independence of the European Central Bank stands as a vital safeguard

Irish parents have chosen more than 1,000 different first names for boys and girls born since 1964

Faced with challenges from US and China, the EU is currently acting like a rabbit in the headlights with no appropriate strategic response

We have made good progress on decarbonising electricity and in retrofitting buildings but are moving too slowly on transport

Budgets in both Britain and Ireland have postponed difficult decisions in a manner that will reduce their room for manoeuvre when the next election looms

While many Northern nationalists see unification as a solution to poor governance, that is a fallacy

Bad bank, which is to be wound up later this year, has been accused to paying too much for assets and not maximising profits on their sale

Calls to reduce such immigration to ease pressures on infrastructure would only makes things worse

Luddite approach to AI won’t serve anyone as workplace is revolutionised

Uisce Éireann left relying on budget funds is the wrong model

Any move to unity in the near future could prove serious for an unprepared Northern Ireland economy

Ireland has benefited hugely from its EU membership and now needs to play a constructive role in its reform

Limiting methane emissions is a good thing but agriculture is producing other, more damaging, greenhouse gases

Very unwise to use up what may be ephemeral corporation tax receipts on long-term tax and spending commitments

The best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

We hear a lot in the media about a cost-of-living crisis. This is seriously at odds with the facts

Traditional, more narrowly focused engineering skills are no longer as valuable as in the past

Report warns that pressure on Big Pharma to cut medicine prices in US could have bigger impact on tax take than relocation of plants

John Foster managed the country’s finances for 34 years to 1811

Allegation that Mercosur might adversely affect beef farmers through falling prices is a scare story without real foundation

As families have become smaller and household wealth has risen, inherited wealth can drive growing inequality in our society

Educating the next generation makes more sense than relying on computer brains

Wind and solar can’t be relied on to replace gas as a reliable source to power our electricity supply

Not much scope for a further increase in third-level participation and productivity growth must slow

However, unless the planning system is reformed, I’m unlikely during my lifetime to ride the metro or drink Shannon water from my tap

Tariffs and a weaker dollar spell trouble for Irish exporters

Either we increase spending to develop infrastructure substantially or we need to slow the economy so it can fit into its old clothes

Whatever strategy the US adopts, there are serious risks to Government revenue from the sector after 2026

Prospect of reduced EU subsidies and climate rules cloud the future for farmers

We should raise the cost of fossil fuel cars through higher taxes, while timber housing would reduce emissions from concrete production

Latest Government proposals don’t deal effectively with the challenge of encouraging private investment in homes to rent

The art of the tariff deal may prove far more damaging to the US than Europe

A short, sharp shock is far more preferable than a prolonged slump

Even 60 years ago, in a much simpler world with a much less global supply chain, deals took a long time to iron out

Someone will have to fund research if US president follows through on stated aim of cutting drug prices

Could relative lack of north-south relationships reflect the separate development of society in the two jurisdictions?

After years of economic underperformance, the North needs drastic change

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

Spending €24bn on projects such as upgrading the grid and electrifying transport and heating could transform the nation

Given our dependence on electric power, delivery of modern interconnector should be faster than one built in wartime