March 2010: “Greece has a role model, and that model is Ireland” — Jean-Claude Trichet

December 2011: “As European leaders scramble to overcome the Continent’s debt crisis, many are pointing to Ireland as a model for how to get out of the troubles.”

March 2012: “Confidence is returning to Ireland and to Europe. The Irish economy is turning the corner. ” — Jose Manuel Barroso.

The latest GDP figures:

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Feel the boom!

OK, maybe a bit more exegesis: Ireland embraced austerity early and forcefully, and has been a good soldier all along; so according to the austerians, it should be a success story. And they keep on seizing on any bit of good news as proof that austerity is working.

Now, sooner or later Ireland will recover. But guys, we’re already four years into this story …