The Economist provides an analysis of the difficulties in reducing fiscal deficits: you can read the article here.
Month: March 2010
John McHale writes on the importance of public investment in assisting recovery in today’s Irish Times: you can read his article here.
The February ECB bulletin carries an interesting article on commercial property markets across the euro area; it is striking to compare the boom-bust cycle in Ireland relative to other countries: you can download the bulletin here.
Olivia Kelly had a remarkable sense of precognition in yesterday’s Irish Times. The Independent, the Examiner and Irish Times report again today. See also FinFacts.
Paul Gorecki sums it up nicely: There was only one valid criticism of the report and it did not change the substance of the report or its conclusions.
Here’s the abstract:
The report sets out an economic approach to municipal waste management policy in Ireland and then applies that framework to two recent policy developments. First, the proposed Section 60 policy direction to cap incineration and other matters, and second, the international review of waste management policy. These complementary policy developments sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are designed to provide a roadmap for a new municipal waste management policy. The report questions whether these developments provide a coherent and feasible basis on which to develop waste policy. Indeed, apart from some unexceptional lessons which are consistent with current waste management policy, implementation of these proposals and recommendations is likely to lower societal welfare and increase the chances that Ireland will miss important Landfill Directive targets with consequent EU fines. The report puts forward a number of suggestions consistent with raising societal welfare while at the same time meeting the Landfill Directive targets.
The report was previously discussed here.
Update: The IWMA still does not accept the ESRI waste projections (even though EPA and DEHLG do).
Update2: Dr Dominic Hogg of Eunomia continues to think that the ESRI is wrong.
Update3: Minister Gormley argues that the international review is flawless.
The German municipality of Niederzimmern does not have the money to fix potholes. They are now selling the right to fix the road to anyone. In return, the owner of the fixed pothole can put on the road a text of her choice.
(from today’s Volkskrant)