***  Openness- breaking down barriers Today, the Irish economy is one of the most open economies in the world for trade and finance. Migration has also played a crucial role in the recent economic peaks and troughs.
With regard to exogenous demand, net exports (real exports minus real imports) continue to follow an upward trend due to steady developments in overseas economies, and public investment is picking up reflecting the progress in the implementation of the supplementary budget for fiscal 1999.