Expert warns protectionism will prolong global recession

THE risk of growing protectionism as the global economy falters could prolong the worldwide recession, a top economist has warned.

It could also seriously set back the recovery in the Irish economy, which will decline by more than 9% this year, said Austin Hughes, economist at KBC Bank Ireland.

In his address to the OSCE conference in Dublin, Mr Hughes said any shift towards protectionism by individual states “could be quite damaging” for the Irish economy.