Ireland 2017-2020

 Despite Ireland suffering severely due to the 2007/8 crisis, and following this with stiff austerity measures ( although accompanied by bank bail outs), it has been relatively stable in the last few years 
However it would be wrong to say that the country is completely out of the economic woods, and recent stats have been down beat.
2017 
As 2017 starts there is no real change to the picture. Indeed there is a feeling of lack of direction ( perhaps reflecting the fact that 2 main markets – US and UK are undergoing unprecedented political changes). However there is nothing to suggest, on balance, that the first two months of the year will be anything other than buzzing. 
April to June is likely to be quieter. But although there may be some difficult with structural financial issues the overall situation remains positive.
July and August don’t change this significantly. There is even a time when the leadership makes substantial headway.
September and October are slightly more mixed, some indicators are positive, some negative. But it continues to be a moderately good year and indeed the 2 months end on a bit of a high.
The final two months are still ok though there is, again, some concern about the lack of direction in the longer term.
2018 
January and February are a little tougher for the people. We see the country reflecting on the last 3 decades, both the growth and subsequent problems and asking “where next?” It could be quite  tricky period with questions over continued austerity and some slight feeling of misalignment.
March and April see the theme ongoing, but there is no sense of significant difficulties. There is more evidence that the economic patterns of the period since the early 1990s are closing and a new one emerging; this will be slightly less acquisitive and more accumulative.
May to July sees some dissatisfaction amongst the population. There are some surprising economic shifts. It is a time when the government has to work extra hard to assert its policies but, other than the continued question of debt, there is no reason to think that they will be unable to achieve what is required.
The opportunities afforded to the leadership continue. But August and September are months when communication is at the fore-front of the country’s concerns. There are both breakthroughs and obstacles.
October and November see the government again pushing forward against some restriction as well as continued economic surprises- these may relate to funding flows- but the general outcome seems to be for the benefit of the country. 
December is a mixed month, in the main quieter, although with a tendency to over-exuberance at times.
2019 
January and February 2019 seem like the beginning of a tougher period, when there is a creeping feeling amongst the people of not being control of their destiny. There are some recessionary indicators as well as debt questions to contend with.
March to May is a bit better. The people seem to be more positive about the economic foundations, despite the background worries mentioned in the early part of the year.
There is a real sense of confusion at leadership level- perhaps even some deception. As a result there is an impetus for breaking away from the past now.
June until August sees more of the confusion surrounding leadership. There may be adjustments to the balance of power and the government is inclined to take big decisions regarding the country’s economic future now. It remains to be seen whether these are the right ones.
September to November see the people in a feisty mood but not opposed to the leadership.
There are still ongoing economic adjustments to be made and although there may be good news there is also, once again, a tendency to take risks to create a new environment.
December is exciting as it sees changes on a wider global scale that will impact the country over the next decade but the months itself sees no special developments in terms of government or people directly.
2020 
January 2020 sees the continuation of the wider changes, and now the people are feeling the effects of not being in charge again.
There are some surprises, once more, as new economic policies and events start to bed in but the government seems to be riding the crest of a wave now with both support from the people and the right conditions for development.
Although there are some developments and especially some exciting news in February, the overall conditions are similar to January. Perhaps there is a bit of excess misplaced optimism now as well.
March to July is the first part of an almost year long change. The period feels a little different to the start of the year as the question of debt becomes more important to the people than the question of control. Once more there is a sense of inertia within the government as changes seem to be fast and furious but still outside their control.
In the second part of the big 2020 phase, from August to November the mood changes to one of optimism and hope. The government and the people share the same feelings of expectation although they don’t necessarily have an outlet for them ( i.e they are still not in entirely in charge of their own destiny ).
The year ends with the people adjusting to the changes and to new relationships with the outside world. There is still some feeling of having lost power over their destiny but the changes are being embraced by the government and the end of the year seems to be characterised by the new relationships with partners etc. and at this stage there look to be more benefits than not.
 
 

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