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Optimism among Irish firms slips but remains ahead of EU average

Almost three-quarters of Irish businesses expressed confidence in the Irish economy over the next 12 months

Just under a third of businesses said labour costs were a constraint on their growth, and 68 per cent of surveyed firms expect to provide salary increases to their staff in the next year. Picture: Getty

Mid-sized Irish firms are more optimistic about the performance of their home nation’s economy than their European counterparts, new research from Grant Thornton has shown.

The latest International Business Report (IBR) from the finance services firm shows that 73 per cent of Irish companies report confidence in the Irish economy, against a Eurozone average of 54 per cent and a UK figure of 59 per cent.

This is down five percentage points on the figure ...