Ireland’s Economic Crash, the new book by Dr Kieran Allen, senior lecturer at the School of Sociology in UCD, will be launched at a meeting in Richardson’s Pub, Eyre Square, this evening at 8pm.
Ireland’s Economic Crash - A Radical Agenda for Change looks at how Ireland’s economic miracle turned into an economic disaster with wage cuts, levies, and reductions in basic public services.
In this damning critique, Dr Allen advocates a withdrawal of state support to the private banks and the creation of a “good” public bank. He calls for a scheme of public works to give jobs to the unemployed and to stimulate the moribund economy.
He argues that those who made vast fortunes during the boom years should carry the cost of cleaning up the mess they largely created. He also examines the squandering of valuable resources by hedge funds and financial speculators, and suggests that our current ‘for profit’ system is facing a deep, long-term, crisis. In conclusion, he examines the ways Ireland can get out of the recession.
Joining Dr Allen at the launch will be Dr Terrence McDonough, Department of Economics at NUI Galway. Afterwards there will be time for questions and discussion. All are welcome.
