Ireland is one of the countries most severely affected by the Great Recession. National income fell by more than 10 per cent between 2007 and 2012, as a result of the bursting of a remarkable property bubble, an exceptionally severe banking crisis, and deep fiscal adjustment. This paper examines...

The economic crisis impacts directly on the distribution of income via unemployment and private sector wages, but the way policy responds in seeking to control soaring fiscal deficits is also central to its distributional consequences. Having sketched out the background in terms of inequality...

Vigorous debate over the effectiveness of the fiscal adjustment programmes for the crisis-stricken countries in the eurozone has grown quite polarised. In this Forum, several experts use analytical, evidence-based approaches to gauge the effectiveness of these programmes. The role played by the...

This paper examines the impact on inequality and poverty of the economic crisis in four European countries, namely France, Germany, the UK and Ireland, and the contribution of tax and benefit policy changes. The period examined, 2008 to 2010, was one of great economic turmoil, yet it is unclear...

This paper sets out the basic framework and results on the responsiveness of married men and married women to changes in their gross wages. The framework for exploring the impact of a tax change on labour supply is briefly described. The impacts of alternative forms of tax cut are examined. The...

Nolan and Callan examine why relative income poverty rates in Ireland have remained high compared with many other EU countries. They begin by presenting the basic facts of the situation and look at a variety of possible explanations for the observed patterns. They conclude that differences in...

The government's Green Paper highlights the question of whether tax incentives for pensions could be better targeted. At present, tax relief on pension contributions is offered at the full marginal rate, making the relief of greater value to those on higher incomes who pay at the top rate of...