Category Archives: Journalism

For what, exactly, are we borrowing billions?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by

This is a expanded version of my column in the Irish Examiner 18 May 2013. Hardly a week goes by now without a minister or backbencher reminding us, usually in stern , schoolmasterly tones, that “we are borrowing a billion … Continue reading →

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We need an honest debate on tax

Posted on May 4, 2013 by

This is a version of my irish examiner article published 4 may 2013 The recent publication by the EC commission of a report on the level, incidence and amounts of taxation across counrties should give pause for thought to many … Continue reading →

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Will Irish Banks need further recapitalisation? If so, who will pay?

Posted on April 19, 2013 by

This is a version of my column in The Irish Examiner on 6 April 2013 . It was written before the talk at the Cantillon School at which the Central Bank revealed that upwards of 25b of SME loans were now … Continue reading →

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Germany’s Dilemma – Sacrifice Cyprus or Make Sacrifices Itself…

Posted on March 23, 2013 by

This is an updated and linked version of a column published in The Irish Examiner Saturday 24 March 2013.The deposit tax debacle in Cyprus is rich in historical resonances as well as showing that frankly as Leigh Phillips suggests in … Continue reading →

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Hegemonic Germany and the death of trust in banking.

Posted on March 18, 2013 by

This is a revised and extended version of a post in The Irish Examiner newspaper Monday 18 March 2013. At the heart of modern finance is the concept of the Risk Free Rate. That is the rate of return on … Continue reading →

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Behavioural Economics and the recession

Posted on March 9, 2013 by

This is a version of an opinion piece in the Irish Examiner 9 March 2013 One of the features of the recession, or depression or whatever it is we are going through is that the role of economists and economics … Continue reading →

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What gets measured gets managed – so how can we manage research without measuring it?

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

This is an expanded version of the “Left Field” column published in the Irish Times.Over the last couple of years there has been a growing feeling amongst all stakeholders – government (supposedly representing the people), the administration (Department of Education … Continue reading →

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(how) Should we spend the anglo savings?

Posted on February 23, 2013 by

.This is a version of an opinion piece published in the Irish Examiner.So the Government has a deal on the anglo promissory notes in hand. There was an unseemly crowing from them and from much of the mainstream media when … Continue reading →

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Anglo deal doesn’t quite cut it

Posted on February 8, 2013 by

This is a extended version of a column published in The Irish Examiner 9 February 2013 So now we know – its Frankfurts way, all the way. One can only wonder what was going through the minds of the labour … Continue reading →

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Are MOOCs the future for the Irish Higher Education Sector?

Posted on January 26, 2013 by

This is an extended version of an opinion piece published in the Irish Examiner Over the last decade or more the language of management has permeated more and more into higher education. For some this is the trump of doom, … Continue reading →

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