Lisbon Treaty Will Have No Effect on Exports, say Economists

A hand-picked sample of 66 economists, including an undisclosed number of its own staff, failed to endorse "independent" consultancy Indecon's thesis, echoing political party posters on hoardings across the land, that a positive result in next month's referendum would lead to a Land of Milk and Honey an increase in Ireland's export earnings.

For details, including other tendentious presentations of the survey results, and comments by me, read the article here which includes a link to the report. (PDF)

Update on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 06:50AM by Fergus O'Rourke

As a result of information in a private communication from Alan Gray, Managing Partner of Indecon, and partially confirmed elsewhere, I withdraw the sobriquet "hand-picked". However, I still have some unexpressed reservations about the methodology employed, on which I would be prepared to expand. Unfortunately, to do so properly would require me to break a confidence.