In Ireland as in many other countries there has been an ongoing debate on the nature, degree and trends of regional imbalance, which has led to substantial research output. While much is now known about these trends, the degree to which they are ameliorated by existing public policies has not...

This study analyzes the effects of additional interconnection on welfare and competition in the Irish electricity market. I simulate the wholesale electricity markets of Great Britain and the island of Ireland for 2005. I find that in order for the two markets to be integrated in 2005,...

Addressing the extra economic costs of disability seems a logical step towards alleviating elements of social exclusion for people with disabilities. This paper estimates the economic cost of disability in Ireland in terms of the additional spending needs that arise due to disability. It defines...

This paper uses new data from EU-SILC for twenty-six European countries to examine the structure and distribution of material deprivation in the enlarged EU. We identify three distinct dimensions of material deprivation relating to consumption, household facilities and neighbourhood environment,...

The past decade has shown a rising popularity of the notion of the knowledge-based economy. In Europe this has led to important political paradigms such as the Lisbon Accord and the Barcelona targets, which have become signposts for R&D policy in the EU. The relationship between knowledge and...

Against the background of increasing financial depth and international financial integration, not least in the EU, the trend towards analyzing financial system policy in fiscal terms is reviewed. Implicit and explicit taxation of the financial system has generated substantial ? though now...