#EP13 National Debt, Wealth Tax, Non performing loans & Brexit End Game

Another action packed episode with excellent contributions from the returning Professor Stephen Kinsella, Chief Economist at The Currency and of University of Limerick, and making his first appearance on the show, Mr Seamus Lehany, of Logistics UK.  In my conversation with Stephen, we talk about the current economic crisis, and I ask the question is it too early to talk about the recovery, and what that might look like ?  We also chat about the Republic of Ireland's National debt position, and why it's kind of really very similar to an interest only mortgage.  We then discuss the cost of the pandemic to the Irish economy and who pays for it. ,  It's now very clear we are entering another banking crisis, only 12 years after the last one, and in this part of our conversation, Stephen and I lift the bonnet on the deeply concerning non performing loan positions every bank in the country now finds itself in.  My second guest this week, and making his first appearance on the show is Mr Seamus Lehany, the policy manager of Logistics UK.  If you have been following the Brexit shenanigans at all over the last 12 months, you will most likely have came across Seamus contributing to the conversation on behalf of the business community.  With less than 100 days to the Brexit deadline for a deal, I ask Seamus to set out the best and worst potential outcomes for N Ireland. Seamus is well over the detail including the numbers involved in terms of the total trade N Ireland does with the EU, the Republic of Ireland and the UK.  It really is an interesting discussion and one I'm sure you will find value in. In my thoughts of the week this week, I talk about three things occupying my brain of late, namely (1) children going back to school, (2) the return to the office and finally (3) my own views on Brexit.  I close this episode sharing some of my frustrations with the unbalanced nature and reporting of this pandemic. I am in a very privileged position in that I get to speak to so many different people on a daily basis, and the general consensus from the people I am speaking to is that there is a deliberate overplaying of FEAR being pushed right across our communities right now, which is having a really detrimental impact on peoples mental and physical health.  For some reason every mainstream media platform continues with this approach, as opposed to advising people as to what they might want to do, to help build their own immune systems and fight any virus.  To this end, I share a number of things we should all consider doing including supplementation, exercising, and good sleep, that will build your immune system and help you fight illness. I hope you enjoy this weeks episode, and if you can do me a favour and share the podcast with just one other person you think might be interested in some of the content. Finally thanks to this weeks sponsors CLEARPATH FINANCE.  For more information go to www.clearpathfinance.co.uk  If you want to contact me, email: [email protected] Look after yourselves, CD