Blog Archive

There is no “value for money” in giving away public assets for nothing

Paul Sweeney 23/04/2017

The Minister for Health Simon Harris insists that “his ‘golden share’ in the new €300 million State-funded national maternity hospital means …

Brexit, Income Tax and the Social Market Economy

Nat O'Connor 21/04/2017

Various lobbyists have used the opportunity of Brexit to repeat their frequent calls for Ireland to lower its income tax rates. For example, EY …

A European Treasury

Katja Lehto-Komulainen 19/04/2017

In Rome, EU leaders pledged to build a “prosperous and sustainable Europe” where “economies converge”. Fine words - but empty ones without …

Security of hours for part-time retail workers

Sinead Pembroke 17/04/2017

For decades now, the retail sector has become synonymous with part-time, low-paid and insecure contracts. However, this has not always been the case; …

Housing shortage – whatever happened to the workers?

James Wickham 09/04/2017

There’s a lot of building to do: Ireland needs a housing building programme, a renewal of infrastructure, investment in public transport especially …

Policing Costs €1.6bn in 2017

Paul Sweeney 04/04/2017

With the many controversies around the very poor management of the Guards, it is worth seeing what the Irish policing service costs . This cost is of …

The Daniel O'Donnell Income Effect

Paul Sweeney 23/03/2017

They say if Daniel O’Donnell left Donegal, the average income in the county would fall. It is still low even with Daniel living there. Average …

Social implications of precarious work

Alicja Bobek 22/03/2017

Since the financial crisis, and through the recovery, we hear more about the increase of precarious work. Precarious employment means insecurity, as …

Northern Ireland's Options to Stay Close to the EU

Nat O'Connor 21/03/2017

At Belfast Imagine! Festival of Ideas and Politics, I hosted a session: Could Northern Ireland be an independent member of the EU, or have “special …

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