A GROUP OF experts drawn from think-tanks in Canada, North America and Europe will put their heads together today and tomorrow to come up with alternative approaches to solving the Irish economic crisis and promoting “sustainable development”.

The independent Irish think-tank TASC has brought together the crack group of economists and financial experts for the two-day conference at the Croke Park Conference Centre. Today features an Expert Round Table on the economy with the main conference taking place tomorrow. The theme of the meeting is Towards Recovery and according to the TASC website:

The conference will bring together a range of acknowledged experts to discuss specific issues and solutions.

Speakers at the event include Pervenche Beres, the French Socialist MEP and chairperson of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Bruce Campbell of the Canadian Centre fro Policy Alternatives and Dr Lawrence Mishel, President of the Economic Policy Institute.

Some of the issues being discussed today include “Shrinking the economy – lessons from Ireland” and “Growing the economy – lessons from the USA”.

Meanwhile, on RTE’s Morning Ireland this morning, Ciaran O’Hagan, head of rates research with Societe Generale in Paris, said that pension reform and property taxes must be looked at by the Government as they attempt to claw back billions in the upcoming Budget.

In The Irish Times this morning, he is also reported as saying that Ireland can draw on the National Reserve Fund and that the country will not need to call on the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) sometime next year.

He said:

There is no way Ireland is going to get any money (from the EFSF) when it is so cash-rich.