Business recovery is young and less robust than some would have you believe

With the property sector starting to boom again and more jobs on-stream, wages are rising and bankers are popping champagne. Kyran FitzGerald is experiencing a bout of deja vu.

In the capital city, plenty of cash is being flashed. Traffic is returning to levels last seen six years ago. There are dark rumours that people are getting ruder again.

Animal spirits are up. I overheard an estate agent gabbling excitedly in numbers with a friend, eyes bulging with delight. Some are turning up late for appointments as diary entries bulge. Vacant shop premises have become a lot scarcer in the past year or so. Cranes are starting to appear close to St Stephen’s Green. There are reports of growing shortages of skilled construction staff.