The Irish Economy
Studies - Economic and Financial Series, No. 10, Commission of the European Communities, Brussels, Catalogue No. CB-NP-75-010-EN-C
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: OVERVIEW OF THE IRISH ECONOMY 1
1. Demographic Features 1
2. Aggregate Output and Employment 6
3 . Sectoral Composition of Output and Employment 10
4. Regional Economic Differences 15
5. Composition of Expenditure on GNP 17
6. Price Trends 20
7. Distribution of Income 21
8. Consumption Patterns 23
CHAPTER II· THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR 25
1. Introduction 25
2. Employment in Agriculture 26
3 . Size of Holdings and Capital Employed 28
4. Structure of Agricultural Production 33
5. Agricultural Exports 36
6. Agricultural Incomes 39
7. Regional Differences 43
CHAPTER III: THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR 46
1. Introduction 46
2. Structure of Employment and Output 48
3 . Industrial Exports and Import Competition 52
4 . Regional Distribution of Industry 56
5. Market Concentration in Industry 61
CHAPTER IV: THE SERVICES SECTOR 65
1. Introduction 65
2. Structure of the Services Sector 66
3 . Regional Distribution 68
CHAPTER V: UNEMPLOYMENT 71
1. The Level and Trend of Aggregate Unemployment 71
2. The Structure of Unemployment 75
3. Regional Aspects of Unemployment 77
4. The Nature of Irish Unemployment 79
CHAPTER VI: LABOUR RELATIONS 82
1. The Institutional Framework 82
2. Wage Determination and Incomes Policy 85
3 . Industrial Disputes 89
4. Manpower Policy 92
CHAPTER VII: PUBLIC FINANCE 95
1. Expenditure of Public Authorities 95
2. Receipts of Public Authorities 99
3 . National Debt 105
4. The Future Outlook 107
CHAPTER VIII: BANKING AND CURRENCY 109
1. Introduction 109
2. The Commercial Financial Institutions 110
3 . Financial Markets 114
4. The Role of the Central Bank 115
CHAPTER IX: EXTERNAL TRADE AND PAYMENTS 118
1. External Trade Policy Since Independence 118
2. Export and Import Trends since World War II 121
3. The Balance of Payments, External Research and Capital Flows 129
4. EEC Membership and the Balance of Payments 131
CHAPTER X: POLICY ISSUES AND INSTRUMENTS 134
1. Major Problems Emerging from the Study 134
2. Demand Management 136
3. Industrial Development Strategy 141
4. Agricultural Policy 144
5. Regional Policy 149
6. Planning 153
7. Inflation and Social Justice 157
LIST OF WORKS CITED 16