Domestic, external factors augur well for 2014

The last major piece of Irish economic data to be published this year was the National Accounts for the third quarter, released on Thursday by the CSO.

The figures confirm that the Irish economy has picked up considerable momentum over the course of this year.

Irish GDP rose by 1.5% in the third quarter, following on from an increase of 1% in quarter two. This strong growth mirrors the pick-up in the UK and US economies this year. However, it stands in marked contrast to the weak eurozone economy, where GPD growth averaged just 0.2% in the last two quarters.