What are the signs really telling us about Ireland's recovery?

With many economic indicators back above or approaching pre-crisis levels, it seems inappropriate to describe Ireland as still being in the recovery stage, writes Phillip O’ Sullivan

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.

The saying, which is often (but perhaps wrongly) attributed to Albert Einstein, frequently comes to mind when I see people quoting statistics that support their of view in debates around the economy.