Economy EU’s second-fastest in 2004

IRELAND will be the euro-zone’s second-fastest growing economy next year, well above the EU average and just slightly behind that of the US.

The news for 2005 is even better with Ireland achieving a GDP growth rate of 4.5% according to the prestigious Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The EU’s own forecast for the euro-zone released yesterday says that recent hard data and survey indicators suggest the euro-area recovery remains underway and is gathering momentum.