The Irish Times view on the public finances: not quite as good as they look

The Irish Times - 21:59
The worsening international economic outlook and the specific threat to multinational investment both pose dangers

At first glance the official figures for Government borrowing and the national debt last year show an encouraging picture. The budget was in strong surplus, according to the key EU measure, and the national debt burden is on the decline. This stands in contrast to many other EU countries, where the public finances are stretched.

There are, however, reasons for caution both in interpreting the figures published yesterday ...
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