The glass is more than half full.

I am writing this from the West of Ireland – a heaven from the intrusion of the internet.  Here in my Leitrim farmhouse I have no phone – I don’t just mean a weak signal on the mobile – I mean not even a land line, no internet, two TV channels, electricity that dims when the oven is turned, water pumped from my own well, even my own sewage works – known as a septic tank.

I do have a radio.

I have always found Irish business programmes to be excellent.  In Northern Ireland business coverage is a couple of 10 minute slots from Eddie O'Gorman on Radio Ulster, or some national coverage from Radio 4.  The Irish, however, seem to take there business much more seriously with programmes such as today FM’s “The Last Word” and The Sunday Business Show giving extensive business review and comment.

As I listen this morning I began to despair.  The state of the Irish economy has made listening to theses programmes rather like the funeral of a revered celebrity.

Then I remembered the glass is still nearly full.

UK GDP Growth from the Office for National Statistics

Yes the economy has shrunk over the last 3 years – but over 90% of it is still there!  Some sectors of the economy, mainly construction related, have contracted much more sharply but for those of us not directly involved in these or able to sell to other sectors we should remain focussed on profitable and growth areas of our business.