I spent last weekend in Dublin, and was really surprised by the number of people out on the streets. Henry St, Grafton St et al. I thought the Celtic Tiger had died after 2008ish and was dead for generations to come, and I also saw the empty Dell factory in Bray, Co Wicklow, But it appears something is still going on that they can charge 5 euros for a pint of Guinness. I know we have some Irish contributors, so could you please tell me what's going on?

The country is well on the road to recovery you'll be pleased to hear. It exited the bailout programme three years ago this month (first bailout country in Europe to do so) and the place has been recovering ever since. All the signs are looking good for the short to medium term future, so that's how you saw so many people out and about in the city centre.

But a few years ago the Irish economy was a basket case, even looking to the UK to borrow money for them. I'd really like to know how they've turned it around.

Probably by just getting on with things rather than blaming others for their mess.

Ireland went through several years of austerity and cutbacks and the public accepted it without complaining, that was pretty much how they managed to get the economy back on track. Wages were slashed across the board and people were told they'd have to endure a few years of hardship before the country could be knocked back into shape. It paid off though and after about three or four years of austerity, the economy began to recover.

Aidan Regan Lecturer in European political economy at the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) in University College Dublin (UCD), and Director of the Dublin European Institute (DEI). Thinks austerity and structural reforms have had little to do with Ireland's recovery.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/20...omic-recovery/

Getting companies like Apple and Google to go there by offering very low and sometimes no taxes.

That article seems to suggest that Ireland has recovered more quickly than other EU countries because it has a state developed enterprise strategy. This has been adapted to cope with a drop in manufacturing, particularly ICT manfacturing, which has been replaced by an increase in the development of global ICT services.

Less than 10% of Irish people in employment work for foreign multinationals so there are clearly a lot of other factors at work. If Ireland was relying solely on foreign high tech firms for its economy, then there would have been no recession or unemployment.

Sounds like you spent most of your time around Temple Bar. Pretty rare to be charged over 5 Euros for a pint of Guinness in Dublin...

Now you're making me want to be in Mulligan's in Poolbeg Street.

By taking on more and more debt and allowing a second housing bubble. They will have another crash eventually and like the first time because they are a satellite of Brussels and Frankfurt there isn't a thing they can do to stop it.

#fewerthen. If you can count it, it's fewer. If not, it's less.

Massive cuts in the generous welfare budget for a start . The stopping of the grecian style jobs for life in the civil service or at least a start on this . Tax incentives to invest and a general attitude of getting on with things . The Irish accepted they overspent during the boom years and more importantly accepted several years of austerity to resolve the problem . The Greeks could learn a thing or two .

The good times are back baby .. pints on!

I hate to burst your bubble but both companies were in Ireland long before the recession. I also work for a market leading company which is irish not foreign so it's not simply a case of solely foreign direct investment

I was out in Cork City on Friday night and it was crazy - sure sign that people are loosening the purse strings again and starting to enjoy themselves.

Was talking to a mate working in a nightclub and apparently drinks orders are almost back to Celtic tiger levels over Christmas.

According to reports, more and more are living on the streets, they're called "the poor".

I am not sure why you're all wetting yourselves with excitement over this? You do know that since you gave your economic sovereignty to the EU there isn't a thing you can do to stop this boom? You're just repeating what went on before. And the same after effects that went on before will happen again.

Now we have some of them on here blaming the UK because we voted for Brexit. Most are worse than the Bremoaners.

They need Gordon Brown then as he stopped boom and bust and saved the world too, remember?

Yep, as well as selling 400 Metric Tons of or gold for $275 an ounce and announcing the sale a year in advance so the price crashed, then a few years later the price went up to $1800 an ounce. You just couldn't make Darth Vader Brown up.

Seeing as the Irish didn't participate in the referendum, they therefore don't have to "respect the will of the majority" (as they are part of neither the majority nor the minority). They are perfectly free to either praise or slate Brexit from the outside (just as UK based DS members can say whatever they like about the American election).

There's a section in Northern Ireland who would disagree with you or don't they count as Irish?

Well this thread is clearly discussing the Republic of Ireland and its economy so I'm not sure there's any confusion.

And people just don't want to believe it will happen again