Conall Mac Coille

Chief Economist at Bank of Ireland. Views my own.

[Gerard Casey @Casey5122dark]

At an event organised in the series The Dublin Lectures on Free Speech & Academic Freedom which took place in UCD last Wednesday (6 May 2026), Nigel Biggar, emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at Oxford, addressed the topic: “The Culture Wars: Why ‘Liberals’ Must Win Them.”

Professor Biggar examined the erosion of liberal culture within Western institutions, focusing specifically on the culture wars surrounding gender, race, and colonial history. He argued that a vocal minority of zealots and an intimidated majority have allowed what he called ‘false orthodoxies’ to suppress rational discourse and intellectual diversity.

The West, he argued, is entering a ‘new dark age’ characterised by the abandonment of reason in favour of a ‘passionate intensity.’ If this problem is to be addressed, it will require a restoration of ‘intellectual virtues’—respect and tolerance, to be sure, but also courage, temperance, and a commitment to testing ideas through rational exchange rather than emotional suppression.

The lecture was presented by Academics for Academic Freedom, with support from Free Speech Ireland, and was chaired by Professor Tim Crowley of UCD’s School of Philosophy.

[National Institute of Economic and Social Research @NIESRorg]

#WeekendReading🔖 What is fiscal sustainability? How to define it?

And what can the #Chancellor do in the upcoming #Budget to achieve it?

Our latest #MondayInterview by @EconSteveM tries to provide some answers👇

#FiscalPolicy #Budget2025

https://t.co/D4KY4JyH7Q

[Conall Mac Coille @ConallMacCoille]

A nice piece from Eoin Lowry remembering my former colleague John O’Reilly.
https://t.co/YDeineLrqP

[Conall Mac Coille @ConallMacCoille]

Not a good look for Ursula

[Financial Times @FT]

The EU has validated Trump’s bullying trade agenda https://t.co/7FCz8iHVQm | opinion

[Conall Mac Coille @ConallMacCoille]

@ronandub And blocked

[Conall Mac Coille @ConallMacCoille]

Great to see Irish housing completions bounce back in Q2, up 35% in the year. We’ve now seen the highest level of completions over the past 12 months than at any time over the past 16 years !!

[Brad Setser @Brad_Setser]

A new blog, one that draws on both a remarkable WSJ story on the impact of Pfizer's decision to make its weight loss drugs in Ireland and my NYT oped

1/

https://t.co/MHiW0rheg9

[Brad Setser @Brad_Setser]

Brilliant, short ECB paper on transatlantic trade ...

https://t.co/NqIGQqUkGy

[National Institute of Economic and Social Research @NIESRorg]

#WeekendReading 📃 "Ageing and Financial Markets"

In this discussion paper, @brunelbusiness' E. Philip Davis and Dilruba Karim outline the effects of demographic ageing on financial markets, including on on household saving, #pensions and housing ⬇
https://t.co/nMdT5UJhID

[Curiosity @CuriosityonX]

We are the first Generation in human history to see an actual photo of a Sunset on Mars

[National Institute of Economic and Social Research @NIESRorg]

"Fixating on the details of fiscal bookkeeping detracts from the wider problem: the current fiscal framework is not fit for purpose"

In case you missed it, read our full response to the Chancellor's announcements in her #SpringStatement last week 💬⬇
https://t.co/Z76IXf2qrL

[Colin P. Clarke, Ph.D. @ColinPClarke]

Have been thoroughly enjoying @DalrympleWill @EmpirePodUK series on British colonization of Ireland. It is well worth your time! https://t.co/TypCD4QvlH

[Barra Roantree @barratree]

The reason planning permission was refused for 355 units in one of these developments is that @dlrcc and @anbordpleanala are concerned there would be too many renters. In Blackrock, an area where 70% are owner-occupiers...

[Patrick Honohan @PHonohan]

PIIE asked me to look back at how the inflation surge happened in Europe and its consequences to date. With interest rates about to turn down, it's a good moment to do so. https://t.co/rz95nWlJpn

[Newstalk Breakfast @NTBreakfast]

‘It comes back to the same old theme: lack of supply.’

Inflation on housing asking prices up 6.5% over the year, according to a @MyHomeProperty report published today. Ciara discussed these figures with its author, @ConallMacCoille.

#NTBK #ListenBack
https://t.co/Ya23nIi0uW

[Patrick Honohan @PHonohan]

Success?

Irish consumer prices have risen just 2 per cent per annum on average during the 25 years of euro area membership.

Actually 2.015%. Of course it would have better to have achieved this in less bumpy manner🤔

[Conall Mac Coille @ConallMacCoille]

Or MyHome report for Q4 out this morning. Asking price inflation for Irish residential properties steady at 4%. https://t.co/QsPR9pg53j

[Cllr Lorraine Hall @LorraineHallFG]

Fundraiser: Buy Caio Benicio a pint
The man is a hero. The least we can do is buy him a pint. https://t.co/VoEcm9bdnb

[Irish Fiscal Advisory Council @fiscalcouncil]

Yesterday’s fiscal monitor highlights the risks around corporation tax receipts. While still at a high level overall, corporation taxes have fallen back slightly in recent months.

[Irish Fiscal Advisory Council @fiscalcouncil]

1/20 This “Flash Release” gives the Council’s first read on Budget 2024. It explores some of the key areas that the Council will assess in its next Fiscal Assessment Report, due out in December.