Why a recession is exactly what the Irish economy needs

After bingeing on cheap credit from the ECB, the Irish economy is forecast to fall into recession this year. But a bit of fat-trimming is just what Dublin needs.

Summing up the modern economy into one sentence isn't easy. But George Carlin, the American comedian who died this week at 71, gave as good a stab at it as any of us. "People spending money they don't have on things they don't need."

It's a message that the Irish should ponder, now that they face their first recession since the 1980s.

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Jody Clarke

Jody studied at the University of Limerick and was a senior writer for MoneyWeek. Jody is experienced in interviewing, for example digging into the lives of an ex-M15 agent and quirky business owners who have made millions. Jody’s other areas of expertise include advice on funds, stocks and house prices.