Two key events underline progress since crisis

Two events are taking place which underline the degree to which Ireland has moved on since its near-death economic experience in 2008 yet both will struggle to resonate with the public given their arcane nature.

Understanding their import is a key challenge for anyone debating the political future of our country.

You may remember a mob of supposed experts took up hurling from the ditch after 2008 which ran along the lines of “Ireland is a basket case, has to leave the euro and is effectively bust”.