Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Macroeconomic Forecasting: Discussion with Department of Finance

7:50 pm

Mr. John McCarthy:

We make no bones about the fact that outward migration is one of the factors in the declining rate of unemployment. We are clear and up-front on that point, just as I was clear about it in my presentation. It is factored into our modelling because it is simply a feature of the Irish labour market. I cannot give the Deputy the figures off hand, but it would be a fairly simple calculation. I can come back to him with the number. It is not rocket science, but I do not have a calculator to hand.