Key facts
*  Currency: the €uro
*  Unemployment: 5.4% (Sept 2020)
*  Inflation: -1.2% (Sept 2020)
*  GDP per capita:  $73.200 (2017 est)

General:  In 2010 the budget deficit was 32.4% of GDP.  Austerity programmes put in place by successive governments in response to the EU/IMF bailout, had, by 2012, reduced the deficit to 8.5%. Modest growth of 1.4% was achieved in 2011.  House prices in the year to June 30, 2013 rose by 1.2%, the first annual increase for five years (Financial Times, July 24, 2013).
 
Trade:  Due to low taxation, Ireland has attracted investment from US high tech multinationals and the country is a large exporter of software related services.

Exports to USA 27.1%, UK 13.4%, Belgium 11%, Germany 81% (2017 data)