Monthly Archives: January 2012

Broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan was celebrating last night after attracting record viewing figures when ringing in the new year.

RTE’s New Year’s Eve programme, traditionally a ratings disaster, bucked the trend this year, attracting an average of 689,000 viewers and a 52pc audience share. As the clock struck midnight, just short of one million people tuned in. The average figures were nearly double the number a year earlier when Grainne Seoige hosted a New Year’s Eve special of the ‘All Ireland Talent Show’, which attracted 375,000 viewers and 31pc share.

“I was really worried because New Year’s Eve is a funny night,” Ms O’Callaghan revealed. “I knew it was a challenge but we turned something which had small viewers last year into mega viewers this year.”

Record Ratings For Miriam On New Year’s Eve Show (Ken Sweeney, Irish Independent)

Previously: 2012: Already terrible

Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s forecast for faster economic growth this year may prove too optimistic, according to a Bloomberg News survey.

Gross domestic product will rise by 1 percent in 2012, according to the median estimate of 11 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Last month, Noonan forecast expansion of 1.3 percent, quickening from an estimated 1 percent last year.

“The most worrying impact of the debt crisis on the Irish economy will be through reduced export demand,” said Conall Mac Coille, an economist at Dublin-based securities firm Davy. “It’s likely to have a significant impact.”

The euro-region’s economy will shrink 1 percent this year, as Europe’s leaders struggle to end the region’s debt deadlock, according to economists at HSBC Holdings Plc led by Janet Henry. Exports of everything from Kerry Group Plc dairy products to Kingspan Group Plc (KSP) insulation amounted to about 101 percent of Ireland’s gross domestic product in 2010.

“It looks like the euro zone is heading for a recession,” said Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Bloxham Stockbrokers in Dublin. “Given what is going on in the world as a whole, the risks are to the downside.”

…Noonan aims to reduce the country’s budget deficit to 8.6 percent of GDP this year from an estimated 10 percent in 2011. Exchequer returns for last year are due for release at 4:30 p.m. in Dublin today.

“What Ireland is doing is necessary but not sufficient for its recovery,” said Austin Hughes, chief economist at KBC Bank Ireland. (KBC) “It can’t be sufficient because that is going to be determined by events outside our control.”

 

Irish Growth To Fall Short Of Noonan’s Forecast, Economists Say (Finbarr Flynn, Bloomberg)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

The strongest gust of 168km/h was recorded at Malin Head, Co Donegal, early yesterday morning while wind speeds of more than 100km/h were recorded at Belmullet, Co Mayo, and Dublin airport, Met Éireann said.

Forecaster Siobhán Ryan said the “hurricane force” wind speed recorded at Malin Head was “exceptional” and ranked among the highest winds in Ireland that she could remember.

Ms Ryan said the gusts may have been caused by a “sting jet” – a rarely occurring surge of high-momentum, high-energy air which appears like a curling scorpion’s tail on weather maps.

The strong winds were expected to ease last night with the depression which brought them moving on towards Scotland and Scandinavia.

However, Ms Ryan said wind speeds were expected to pick up again this afternoon – but not to the same extent as yesterday – for about 18 hours and could reach speeds of 90-120km/h in some areas.

She said the east coast and Dublin were likely to “bear the brunt” of the west and northwest winds today. These would be sustained but would not be as strong as those experienced yesterday.

East coast could be hit by worst of gales today (Irish Times)

(Photocall Ireland)