Industry & policy in Independent Ireland, 1922-1972

My book on industry & policy from the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 to the eve of Ireland’s accession to the EEC in 1973 will be published by Oxford University Press within the next few weeks. Among other things it identifies the largest manufacturing employers in the Free State area in the decades prior to 1922 and in the late 1920s, the late 1940s and at other key points through to 1972. By the time of EEC accession foreign-owned firms accounted for almost one-third of manufacturing employment. Though Ireland had been targeting export-oriented foreign multinationals since the mid-1950s, a large number of those in operation at EEC entry were protectionist-era ‘tariff jumpers’ or indigenous firms that had been acquired over recent years as trade liberalisation proceeded. The book also unearths substantial new archival evidence on the determinants and consequences of industy policy. The sources of the firm-level employment data cited in the book have just been made available at: http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/101139

Call for Papers: Economics Winter Workshop, Central Bank

  • Submission Deadline: 30th September 2023
  • Notification Date: 15th October 2023
  • Event Date: 21st December 2023, 08.30-17:00
  • Format: In person
  • Venue: Central Bank of Ireland, Dublin
  • Registration: Details TBC

Central Bank of Ireland will host the inaugural “Economics Winter Workshop” in Dublin on 21 December 2023. We aim to provide an annual forum for economists, both domestic and foreign-based, to connect and discuss current issues within our Research Agenda. This covers a wide range of topics, including many new as well as long-standing issues relevant to small open economies with complex financial systems. Such engagement enhances the quality of our policy decisions and advice, through the creation of networks that foster collaboration and facilitate challenge. 

We will select approximately five to eight papers, with a discussant for each to facilitate wider participation. Selection will balance seniority and topic, aiming for a diverse representation. While it is expected participants will cover their own costs, there is some funding available upon application. The event will also feature a keynote lecture by Kevin O’Rourke and a policy panel with Philip Lane, Martina Lawless, Niamh Moloney and Michael McMahon. 

We invite submissions before September 30 and will notify authors before October 15. The programme committee comprises of Daragh Clancy, Gillian Phelan, Martin O’Brien and Gerard O’Reilly. 

This event is in person. For submissions, and in case of any questions, please email researchexchange@centralbank.ie with “Economics Winter Workshop” in the subject line. 

Confirmed Speakers:

  • Philip Lane, Chief Economist, European Central Bank
  • Martina Lawless, Research Professor, Economic and Social Research Institute
  • Niamh Moloney, Professor of Law, London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Michael McMahon, Professor of Economics, Oxford University
  • Kevin O’Rourke, Professor of Economics, NYU Abu Dhabi

Tenure Status in Census 2022

The CSO have started releasing the results from Census 2022. Reports on selected topics will be published over the next year. The summary results for each topic are available here.

The release includes details of tenure status by household which are shown below for each Census since 1981.

In Census 2022, the number of households increased to 1.84 million from 1.68 million in Census 2016. Average household size was largely unchanged (2.74 versus 2.75 in 2016).

The number of households who are homeowners rose from 1.15 million in 2016 to 1.21 million in 2022. This increase was entirely due to an increase in the number of outright owners without a mortgage which increased from 612 thousand to 680 thousand. There was a small decline in the number of homeowners with a mortgage, despite rising mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers.

In overall terms, the homeownership rate declined from 67.6 per cent to 65.9 per cent. It should be noted though that the share of household forms where the tenure status was not stated was 4.4 per cent in 2022. This is up from 3.1 per cent in 2016 and just 0.4 per cent in 1981.

Excluding households who do not state their tenure status the homeownership rate declined from 69.8 per cent in 2016 to 68.9 per cent in 2022.

The number of households renting from a private landlord increased to 331 thousand in 2022 from 310 thousand in 2016. The private renting rate was essentially unchanged (with this particularly so if ‘not stated’ are excluded). This increase in households renting privately showing in the Census is in contrast to other sources showing a decline, such as RTB registrations.

The only significant tenure status showing an increase are those renting social housing. The number of households renting from a local authority or approved housing body rose from 160 thousand in 2016 to 183 thousand in 2022, representing 10 per cent of households.

More detailed results, including breakdowns by age, nationality and other characteristics, will be published at the end of July.

Are all economists just focused on growth?

Dr Emma Howard of TUDublin, and chair of the Irish Society of Women in Economics (ISWE), has an opinion piece on TheJournal.ie examining the practice of economics and the work of some of her colleagues in Ireland. You can read it here.

Readers may also be interested to note that at the recent AGM of the Irish Economic Association, a motion was unanimously passed to make ISWE a standing committee within the IEA.

Revenue Annual Report and Research Papers

Last week Revenue published its Annual Report, detailing the activities behind the collection of €82.4 billion in net receipts for the Exchequer in 2022.

https://revenue.ie/en/corporate/press-office/press-releases/2023/pr-042623-annual-report.aspx

Also published (links at the bottom of the page above) are a series of research papers and statistical reports including:

· An analysis of Corporation Tax which profiles 2022 payments and 2021 tax returns, providing considerable detail on what is now the second largest tax in the State.

· An analysis of Income Tax focused on PAYE taxpayers in 2022. The paper exploits the detail generated by real-time reporting systems to provide diverse insights, including on pensions (both contributions and incomes), employment churn, and post-pandemic inequality levels to name a few areas.

· An analysis of VAT which profiles 2022 payments and repayments and provides useful detail on the operation of the tax.

· An analysis of Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) which profiles 2022 payments and reflects the notable changes that have occurred in the vehicle market in recent years due to the impact of Brexit, COVID-19 and climate-focused policies.

Versions of the above papers covering older years can be accessed here: Revenue also published a report on its latest large-scale customer survey, covering SMEs. While its focus is mainly customer service there are also insights related to COVID-19, Brexit and the shadow economy. Finally, Revenue also published its annual illegal tobacco survey results for 2022, the latest statistics on the Debt Warehouse and a statistical overview of PAYE taxpayers who filed Income Tax returns in 2023 Q1 (including a focus on the uptake for the Rent Tax Credit, Remote Working Relief and Health Expenses).

Revenue issues a Statistical Bulletin on a quarterly basis where they advertise new or updated statistical releases published on the Revenue website. Any interested readers can sign up by emailing statistics at revenue dot ie