Asking the Right Questions
Irlanda: el Presidente que necesitamos
(Yesterday I scribbled down these thoughts about what I think we need from the next President of Ireland, whether it is the incumbent or a newly elected individual. Since I wrote in Spanish and that is how it flowed I have kept it in…
Annual budget sideshow is just a distraction
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” – John Maynard Keynes Another year, another budget! This time every year in Ireland the focus moves to the budget announcement of the Irish government. We are forced…
BREXIT – “Staying friends” after a breakup
The risk of BREXIT – Britain exiting the European Union (EU) – looms large with the upcoming referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, on June 23rd. Can Britain break European hearts while at the same time staying friends? And more importantly can Europe…
Canadians cast their vote in Federal Election…..
Canada is the latest country to hold elections, with Canadians casting their vote on Monday in the Federal election. After just returning from a trip to Toronto, it was impossible to escape the media coverage. Aside from the excitement of the Toronto Blue Jays…
Irish Government: Macro Improvement Clouded by Micro Failings
This is my article which featured in the Sunday Independent, August 23rd 2015: http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/this-government-has-worked-yet-voters-want-to-get-rid-of-it-31470178.html I give my take on the current government, how the much improved macroeconomic picture has been overshadowed by some of their failings at a micro level. Of course I end…
Banking Inquiry and the Celtic Tiger Villain
Two well-known villains were back in the media last week, making headlines for different reasons. Lance Armstrong was in France to ride the Tour de France route as part of a charity race to raise money for leukemia research, while at home in Ireland,…
First Irish UFC Champ: Inflated Egos in Business v Sport
The world of business and finance is known for being dominated by inflated egos, where the role of luck in successful outcomes is always described as skill. This is a world where the reason for a merger can be as simple as the Chief…
Market Recap: Week of July 6th 2015
Market Recap Global equity markets were drowning in a sea of red last week as the major European equity indices sold off sharply on Monday, following the weekend’s announcement by the Greek government to hold a referendum on the deal being offered by its…
UK Election: Will the real Ed please stand up?
The UK general election will come to a head this week with voters going to the polls on Thursday. The uncertainty around the outcome weighed on Sterling last week, with volatility against the Euro and the US dollar reaching levels last seen in 2011.
Scottish Independence Vote – What have the British ever done for us?
As the Scottish vote on Independence fast approaches I can’t help but be reminded by the famous “what have the Romans ever done for us” scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian when Reg (John Cleese), leader of the “People’s Front of Judea”, tries…
