Ireland’s 2023 Article IV Consultation was set against the backdrop of Budget 2024, which sought to strike a balance between providing necessary supports to households and businesses, continuing to invest in public services and laying the foundation for sustainable public finances for the future, and that of a global economic perspective where there remains significant risks to the downside. These include higher for longer interest rates, low and uneven growth across the world, the challenges of climate change; and, increasing geopolitical tensions.