The CSO has released a new edition of this very comprehensive set of indicators that compares Ireland to other countries across a wide range of dimensions: you can read it here.
The CSO has released a new edition of this very comprehensive set of indicators that compares Ireland to other countries across a wide range of dimensions: you can read it here.
6 replies on “Measuring Ireland’s Progress”
Thanks for the post Philip,it will take till Christmas to digest it.Usefull resource.
What an incredibly useful document. Thank you, Philip.
@Philip,
Many thanks for bringing this treasure-trove to our attention.
Even though I have seen some of the data previously I was particularly taken by the comparative price levels in Figs. 1.21 and 1.22. Ireland jostling with Finland and Denmark to be top of the EU league should be enough to justify some very useful and timely economic research. Given the popular perception of high levels of both direct and indirect taxation in Denmark and Finland, it would be interesting to see how much they contribute to these price levels and, in the Irish context, how much, in addition to indirect taxes, implicit taxes and competition and regulatory policy failures contribute.
If someone would pay me enough, I’d probably have a go, but I have no comparative advantage…
Would it fit into any of your – or your colleagues – research programmes?
@ Paul
Ah yes, but today’s latest price index figures are out – Ireland is leading the HICP table in deflation too…year on year of something like – 2.6%:
http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/prices/current/cpi.pdf
@Graham,
Accepted. But I still think we should consider the height from which we are descending. And I find the detailed sub-indices quite informative:
http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=CPM09&ti=Consumer+Price+Index+by+Detailed+Sub+Indices,+Month+and+Statistic&path=../Database/Eirestat/Consumer%20Prices/&lang=1
The biggest falls are where some degree of competition is working; the biggest increases where implicit taxes are levied or restrictive practices/monopoly power exists.
I agree with you. We still have a long way to go and competition policy will have an important role to play.