Brian cowen, who succeeded Bertie Ahern as Ireland's prime minister (taoiseach) in May, calls it the worst economic crisis in a century. It is certainly the worst of times to be in government. The economy will shrink this year and probably next, for the first time in 25 years. The Celtic Tiger decade of high growth and huge budget surpluses has ended in a spectacularrnbust. Tax revenues have collapsed: the budget deficit may hit 7% of gdp in 2009.rnSuch a rapid reversal has taken a toll on the prime minister's reputation, not least because (like Britain's Gordon Brown) he was formerly finance minister. He is struggling with three problems from a politically weak position. First is an economy in free fall, second a dramatic loss of support and third the vexed issue of Ireland's future in the European Union.
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