Businesses seek certainty as general election looms

There is a major risk for Ireland that an EU response in a subsidy war could give large countries a free hand to ladle on subsidies which small countries could never match

The signals we send in the upcoming Budget and subsequent election debates are being watched not just by a domestic audience, but global corporate decision makers.

With the local and European elections over, the starting gun has already been fired on a general election.

The economic backdrop to that election is taking shape — low unemployment, rising wages, moderating inflation, and a gradual fall in interest rates. Some of these trends are driven by global events but others are to the Government’s credit. If it could find ways to turn those resources more effectively into the infrastructure and public services society needs, we would be in a very good place indeed.