Economy suffers 32% loss in competitiveness

THE loss of competitiveness in the Irish economy from the start of 2000 to the end of 2008 was a massive 32%.

For an economy crippled by banking problems and its worst recession since the mid-1950s, getting back to export-led growth will be a huge but vital task.

That is the view contained in the report by the three leading Irish stockbroker firms, which set their differences aside yesterday to produce a unified blueprint to rescue the economy.