BACK in 1986, Ireland’s economy and society were in deep crisis. Incorrect decisions made then would have resulted in more decades of economic and social stagnation.

IN theory there is a strong commitment in this country to achieve more balanced regional economic development.

WE CONTINUE to live in interesting times, which are becoming more interesting and confusing by the day. The global equity market performance continues to be pretty dreadful, news of the US economy is still awful, and the ongoing stream of news relating to the subprime crisis is anything but positive.

AS WE move towards the final hours of 2007 and look forward to 2008, one can look back on the year past with mixed feelings and look forward with a greater level of trepidation than we have seen for some time.

WE CONTINUE to live through uncertain times in global financial markets.

THE global economy is emerging from three years of solid economic growth. This benign economic background proved supportive of global equity markets and investors have enjoyed good returns.

AT THE time of the flotation of Aer Lingus I argued that investment in a company operating within the straitjacket of a significant government shareholding and strong trade union input would not represent a particularly dynamic investment bet.

THE Taoiseach is getting visibly upset about some of the commentary and analysis on the Irish economy. His suggestion that people who dare to put a negative gloss on the current state of the Irish economy “are not economists... and know nothing about nothing” is confusing.

LAST Friday afternoon the gravity of the problems facing equity markets and indeed the overall global economy was demonstrated in stark fashion by the dramatic decision of the US Federal Reserve to cut one of its two key interest rates by 0.5%.

FOR anybody with an indirect interest in farming, the income figures released by Teagasc earlier this week made for very gloomy reading — but for those directly involved in the industry, it made for truly depressing reading.