The Macroeconomic and Fiscal Framework document accompanying the April 2009 Supplementary Budget detailed the measures that had been taken since July 2009 to address the weakening public finances.

Recent reports into the performance of the Central Bank, the Financial Regulator and the Department of Finance in the lead-up to the current crisis identify three key weaknesses: the pressures towards `group think? within ...

This paper reviews the current relationship between research and evidence based policy-making in Ireland. It reviews the role of the State in its broadest sense and considers relevant research required to underpin policy ...

For official statistics to be of value they must be trusted. Achieving and maintaining trust requires that statistics are produced in an objective, transparent and independent manner. In many countries codes of practice ...

Ireland is the recipient of one of the largest foreign aid programmes in the world. Our net receipts from the EC between 1990 and 1992 averaged 6.7 per cent of GNP. The EC has three structural funds; the guidance section ...

The current recession has focussed widespread attention on the employment problem. The present difficulties are evidenced by the very high rate of unemployment, the falling level of employment in manufacturing, and the ...

The recent publication of Investment in Education, prepared under joint Irish and O.E.C.D. auspices, has been an event of major importance in Irish education. The members of the survey team would, I feel sure, be amongst ...