Top economist predicts 6.5% growth rate

Bank of Ireland's chief economist Dan McLaughlin has predicted Irish economic growth will be 6.5% a year.

Mr McLaughlin said the Irish economy is in a period of transition, moving from the "Tiger I" period (1994-2000), when economic growth exceeded 9% per annum, to that of "Tiger II", with potential growth of around 6.5% a year.