merrion street

The OECD’s Economic Survey of Ireland was launched in Dublin today by Mr Robert Ford, Deputy Director of the OECD. On its publication, the Minister for Finance said:

I welcome the Survey which provides strong support for the Government’s policies of fiscal consolidation and restoring the banking system to health. I also welcome the worthwhile and timely recommendations in the Survey on how to strengthen the policy response in these areas as well as to prevent unemployment becoming embedded and to improve competitiveness further. These recommendations will feed into the preparation of the budget

The OECD Survey acknowledged that, after succumbing to a deep recession and banking crisis, considerable fiscal efforts have been made since then and that a modest recovery is now under way in Ireland. Furthermore, the OECD noted that while the Irish economy faces tough challenges its long-term prospects now appear better than many of the other hard hit European countries.

The Minister for Finance expressed his thanks to the OECD and to its Economic Development and Review Committee (EDRC) for a wide-ranging, timely and relevant Survey. The Minister congratulated the EDRC on its 50th anniversary this year and wished the Committee equal success in the years ahead. He also thanked the OECD’s Local Economic and Employment Development Programme for organising the important international conference

which has been taking place for the last two days in Dublin Castle.