Economy needs a makeover

THE Taoiseach’s blunt message to the privileged profiteers in the professions who are seriously contributing to the inordinately high inflation rate here was remarkably refreshing for the firmness with which he seems prepared to take them on.

Mr Ahern's tough speech at the IMI management conference in Killarney presaged an assault on the "learned professions, local monopolists or middlemen" who have had it too easy and who are living off Irish productivity and growth rather than contributing to it.

In that vein also he just stopped short of saying a constitutional referendum would be held to control the price of building land, which would be a major step but one fraught with serious constitutional implications.