ESRI: Risks of Covid-19 flare-up and no-deal Brexit haunt 'robust' recovery next year        

Only 20,000 new homes will be completed in 2021, reports Eamon Quinn

Kieran McQuinn, research professor, ESRI: "Support measures may have to continue into March."

Employment levels will take a few years to get back to their pre-Covid-19 crisis levels, while the risks of a second wave of the pandemic and a no-deal Brexit hugely add to an uncertain outlook, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has forecast.

In its latest quarterly report, the institute projects GDP will grow at a “robust” 6.3% next year, under its “living with Covid” forecast that is based on no new lockdown being re-imposed on the existing local restrictions. However, a no-deal Brexit would derail the recovery meaning growth is halved to only 3.3%.