A few weeks ago there was a minor furore over a group of investors who were given loans by Anglo Irish bank to buy shares in the bank. This group became known as The Golden Circle. This relates back to July 2008 as Anglo Irish Bank’s share price tumbled and Sean Quinn sought to offload [...]
Today sees another 24-hour stoppage by taxi drivers which once again brings to the fore the issue of regulation in the taxi industry in Ireland. This has been an issue for over 30 years in this country. Following a steady rise in the number of taxis operating in Ireland during the 1970s taxi license holders successfully lobbied [...]
Many have said that this Irish Grand Slam win was like a breath of fresh air and that it can only lead to greater and better things. However what they didn’t say was what these greater and better things are. Many reminisce about the good old days in the 1990s when the Irish Soccer team [...]
It’s refreshing to hear that Ireland is not the only European nation facing economic meltdown during the current economic climes. In fact another European Union member takes the gong for “worst performer” over the past 9 months – Latvia. Welcome to Riga where it is predicted that the economy will shrink by some 14% over the next [...]
Much has been made in recent months of the exodus of shoppers from Ireland to towns in Northern Ireland. People respond to incentives in predictable ways. As it is now substantially cheaper to buy many items in Northern Ireland that is where many people are buying them. There are several reasons but could some of [...]
We live in such interesting times. The Fed announced yesterday that it was effectively going to print money to kick-start the US economy. As pointed out by Justin Fox in the Curious Capitalist Milton Friedman described this kind of transaction as the functional equivalent of a “helicopter drop” of money. And now ‘Helicopter Ben’ Bernanke [...]
In an article in the Irish Independent on March 16th, the possibility of the closure or amalgamation of several departments and schools throughout the third level sector in Ireland was discussed. According to the article, this arises out of a need to cut government expenditure in the third level sector. The courses under discussion are [...]
Last week there was some opposition to a €3,000 salary increment that is given to TDs after they have been in the Dail for seven years. 26 deputies were entitled to the increment though some have said that they will not accept the entitlement. This is not the first time this year we have had a bit [...]
The country has just settle back to normality following huge Irish success at Prestbury Park last week where Irish trainers managed to successful land 9 of the 26 races that went to post at the famous Cheltenham venue. That’s a 35% strike ratio! Not bad I hear you say, well no wonder given that our government granted in excess of €70 million to Horse [...]