‘Modest jobs gain likely’ from EU-US deal

Negotiations on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership should be suspended amid concerns over the accuracy of purported benefits of the deal, an economic think-tank has said.

The trade-union backed Nevin Economic Research Institute has cast doubt over a study by economic consultancy group Copenhagen Economics, which forecast one-off GDP growth of 1.1% for Ireland in addition to between 5,000 and 10,000 new export-sector jobs.

Assumptions relied upon by the Copenhagen report and the construction of the subsequent economic projections are open to question, according to Neri researcher Tom Healy, who cites an alternative report from Tufts University in the US whose projections are far less favourable.