Covid19 and the Northern Irish Economy: Initial Insights

Abstract

During today’s symposium, I'm going to share some thoughts on the initial impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the Northern Ireland economy, focusing on three broad areas. I will start by highlighting some points from the initial economic data, including recent consumer and business surveys as well as the latest labour market figures. I'll then discuss Danske Bank’s forecasts for the Northern Ireland economy, including the importance of policy decisions. And then, building further on the policy theme, I will comment on the impacts that the pandemic might have on other, longer-term policy issues in Northern Ireland.