ECON20060 Irish Economy

Academic Year 2023/2024

The aim of this module is to generate an interest in and foster an understanding of the main features, performance and associated policy issues of the Irish Economy. Over the past 30 years alone, the economy of Ireland has experienced a Celtic Tiger boom, a recession, an economic recovery, followed by the ongoing challenges that have emerged as a result of Brexit, a global pandemic, the Ukraine war, and the drive for sustainable development.

Ireland’s economic performance is shaped by government policy within the context of domestic and international developments. This is illustrated in the opening section of the module, which examines the evolution of the Irish economy over the 20th century and to the present day. What were the key features, developments, and policies adopted over this period? How did they affect the economy of Ireland? What lessons did/do they provide for later/future policy? With this backdrop, and armed with a framework for economic policy analysis, we then delve deeper to examine some of the policy issues at a national level and a sectoral level in topics such as the Care economy, Manufacturing and International Traded Services; the Education sector; Poverty and Inequality etc.

CORE TEXTBOOK:
O'Hagan, John , Francis O’Toole and Ciara Whelan (eds): The Economy of Ireland: Policy Making in a Global Context (14th edition), 2021, Bloomsbury
(Available in library, or for purchase in the Campus Bookstore OR on-line https://shop.universitybooks.ie/Books/THE-ECONOMY-OF-IRELAND-POLICY-MAKING-I_9781350933811 for collection at Campus Bookstore or for delivery.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

• Review and summarise relevant reading/on-line material on various key aspects of Irish economic policy and apply what you have learned to new data and situations;

• Explain the importance and relevance of the information contained in reading/on-line material for various Irish economic policy issues;

• Apply basic economic thinking to issues of Irish economic policy;

• Evaluate public policy-making in Ireland.

Indicative Module Content:

This module will cover some of the following topics:

1. Overview of the Irish Economy:
(i) From Independence to 1994
(ii) From Celtic Tiger to the present

2. A framework for economic policy analysis
3. The Political Economy of Sustainable Development

4. Inequality and Poverty
5. The Care Economy

6. Manufacturing and Internationally-Traded Services Sector
7. Education Sector



CORE TEXTBOOK:
O'Hagan, John , Francis O’Toole and Ciara Whelan (eds):
The Economy of Ireland: Policy Making in a Global Context (14th edition), 2021, Bloomsbury
(Available in Library or for purchase in the Campus Bookstore OR on-line https://shop.universitybooks.ie/Books/THE-ECONOMY-OF-IRELAND-POLICY-MAKING-I_9781350933811 for collection at Campus Bookstore or for delivery.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

22
Autonomous Student Learning

90
Total

112
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Relevant articles posted on the various topics considered.
Opportunity for developing critical analysis and writing skills 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

A knowledge of basic Principles of Microeconomics and of Macroeconomics is recommended for this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Written Assignment Unspecified n/a Graded No

30
Examination: Final written exam 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

70

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

After grade for an assignment has been returned to students, 'Feedback 'Office Hours' are posted - students, if they wish to, have the opportunity to make an appointment during these hours for feedback on their assignment

Core Textbook:
O'Hagan, John , Francis O’Toole and Ciara Whelan (eds): The Economy of Ireland: Policy Making in a Global Context (14th edition), 2021, Bloomsbury

Available in Campus Bookstore, OR order on-line https://shop.universitybooks.ie/Books/THE-ECONOMY-OF-IRELAND-POLICY-MAKING-I_9781350933811 for collection at Campus Bookstore or for delivery

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Spring
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32, 33 Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 16:00 - 16:50
Spring