Also in this edition, economist Tom Ferris discusses the newly established Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, the main role of which is to independently assess, and comment publicly on, whether the Government is meeting its own stated budgetary targets and objectives.

In an extensive article from Eamonn Carey, who recently retired from the Co-operative Legislation Unit of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, he looks at the legislative framework behind co-operatives and offers a number of suggestions including “some measure” of statutory protection for the terms “co-operative”, “co-operative society” and related terms.

As Ireland is set to host the Presidency of the European Union in 2013, Noelle O’Connell, Executive Director of the European Movement of Ireland reflects on Ireland’s past experience as a host and looks ahead to what prospects 2013 will hold for both Ireland and Ireland’s relationship with the EU.

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