The Irish Times reports that footfall in the big shopping centres such as Blanchardstown is holding up, but that spend is markedly down. The average value of retail transactions in the third quarter is €46, down from €67 in the same period last year. It is likely that this is geographically skewed, with the large, established indoor centres acting as sites of leisure and window shopping, with smaller retail centres and those along the border suffering disproportionately.  It also reports that people are now saving 12% of their income up from 2.3 per cent in 2007; that 422,500 people are claiming jobseekers’ benefit and assistance in Ireland in October, and that April 2009 to April 2010 net migration will be approximately 40,000.

This story in the same newspaper might also be of interest –Ireland less alluring for Intel 20 years on – what Ireland still has is competitive corporate tax and skilled labour, but then so do other countries so what else do we do to attract and keep FDI.

Rob Kitchin

 

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