ESRI Says Irish Economy Is Defying Covid-19 Restrictions

The Irish economy is forecast to grow by 3.4 per cent this year.

In its Quarterly Economic Commentary, the ESRI says it's due to the strong performance of exports, and improved consumption and investment.
But it says the effects of the pandemic are still clearly evident as the unemployment rate increased above 20 per cent in the fourth quarter.

The ESRI, says the growth is surprising given the impact the virus has had over the past 10 months