"Reasons to be cheerful"

Brendan Burgess

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Séamus Coffey has written a piece entitled "Reasons to be cheerful"

While acknowledging the tough times ahead, it lists out the following 9 factors

1) Emigration doesn't seem to be as high as feared
2) Ireland is set to have a young, vibrant and productive population over the coming years
3)Tourist numbers are increasing
4)Our exports are booming
5) the agri-food sector is on the up
6) Domestic consumption is beginning to stabilise
7) Household debt is falling due to repayments
8) The Irish government has reduced interest rates
9) Yields on Irish bonds are reducing
 
Good to see a post that recognises the positives. Since mid 2008 we have had our fill of doom and gloom and the continued forecasts that things are likely to get worse. I certainly have had my fill of those who see nothing but dark at the end of the tunnel. My son has recently emigrated to the US but by choice as he is fed up with the moaning and groaning in this country. I am happy for him as he has a job and ultimately intends returning. There are positives and while progress may be slow it is happening.
 
Here's another positive article on Ireland from the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904875404576530613971799994.html

"In effect, what Ireland has done is what Asian economies did in the wake of their region's 1997 financial crisis, according to David Vines, an Oxford University economics professor. Like the Asian economies, Ireland has made itself extremely competitive, allowing trade to lift its economy out of trouble. "
 
It's a bit depressing that Seamus Coffey couldn't come up with 10 reasons so as to have a "top 10" sort of thing. Gives the impression that he could only think of 9!
 
Well, *I'm* still here.

It may not mean much to Seamus Coffey, but it means a lot to me, and I suspect many other Irish people.

No. 10. "We're still here!"
 
10) We have access to the funds required to avoid disasterous reductions in medium term standards of living. These funds are cheaper and for a longer term than we have any right to expect meaning we have 10 years + for the global economy to bounce back i.e. a much increased likelihood of riding out the storm
 
  • The radio has an "off" switch which I apply liberally when Constantine Gurdieff is treating us to more Russian gloom than I can handle.
  • There is more humilty around and less crassness.
  • Altho not a huge sports fan, I'm proud to live in a country that can produce the GAA.
  • Local effort to rebuild the roof on a beautiful Protestant church has all the neighbours chatting and hunting for bargains again at a car-boot sale. People wouldn't have been seen dead at one during the Celtic tiger.
  • Local volunteers cleaning the area and planting flowers etc remind us of what's really valuable in communities. Giving of time is fashionable again.
  • Thrift is in vogue again. Good for people, good for the enviornment, good for society.
 
Cost of borrowing returns to pre-bailout levels. Particularly like this line

"THE REPUBLIC’S borrowing costs have returned to a pre-bailout point as investors see the Irish economy distancing itself from the most financially troubled euro zone countries."

[broken link removed]

It would be better if we didn't have to borrow at all, but I suppose this is still good news.
 
Its great news and we can only hopes its the precursor of a general upward trend.

I attended a B2B Networking even in the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire last evening and the positivity and buzz in the room was hugely uplifting.

Massive amounts of forward looking talent looking to do business with each other and refloat the economy.
 
haven't been around here in a while but sad to see the Reasons to Be Cheerful ended in 2011 ;-)
 
DB74 said:
It's a bit depressing that Seamus Coffey couldn't come up with 10 reasons so as to have a "top 10" sort of thing. Gives the impression that he could only think of 9!
Click to expand...
I gotta say, the Ian Dury version was way catchier, too.
 
DB74 said:
It's a bit depressing that Seamus Coffey couldn't come up with 10 reasons so as to have a "top 10" sort of thing. Gives the impression that he could only think of 9!
Click to expand...

9 is a bargin and so a reason to be cheerful. 10 is full price
 
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