Ireland has participated in two currency unions-a bilateral union with the UK that lasted until 1979 and as a founder member of European Monetary Union (EMU) that began in 1999. This article investigates whether currency unions have influenced Irish trade patterns.

Ireland's net external liability position expanded in dramatic fashion during 2008-2010, despite relatively small net financial flows during this period. Understanding the the source and persistence of this negative shock is critically important in assessing the future path for the Irish...

For the set of EMU member countries, we examine cyclical patterns in fiscal outcomes. We find that there is significant time variation in fiscal cyclicality, with an improvement in the wake of the Maastricht Treaty but a deterioration after the creation of EMU. Furthermore, we show that the...

This paper reviews the growth record of the member countries of the euro area and assesses the outlook for future economic performance. We describe how the external and fiscal adjustment challenges facing the euro periphery amplify the growth risks facing these countries. We address how growth...

This paper explores the contribution of international financial flows to the boom-bust-recovery cycle in Ireland. It finds that a nuanced interpretation is required, in that bank-intermediated debt inflows certainly contributed to the amplification of the property boom during 2003-2007 but that...

Asia came through the global financial crisis relatively well. At the same time, financial globalization means that Asia cannot be fully insulated from international financial shocks. Moreover, it is likely that the rest of the world will undergo a redesign of its international financial...

This paper provides an overview of the cyclical conduct of fiscal policy in Ireland both before and during the crisis. It shows that fiscal policy has been procyclical, with financial shocks amplifying the fiscal cycle. In addition, it highlights the importance of institutional reform and...

The European crisis is partly attributable to the sharp increase in external imbal- ances across Europe during the pre-crisis period. We examine current account imbal- ances in Europe over 1995-2007, together with the underlying saving and investment rates (and their subcomponents). We O?nd that...

This paper reviews the growth record of the member countries of the euro area and assesses the outlook for future economic performance. We describe how the external and fiscal adjustment challenges facing the euro periphery amplify the growth risks facing these countries. We address how growth...