Minister for Public Expenditure and chairman of the Eurogroup Paschal Donohoe will sit down for a one-on-one interview with comedian Colm O’Regan at this week’s Kilkenomics festival in Kilkenny city.
Kilkenomics, the world’s only festival of economics and comedy, will take place from Thursday to Sunday.
A spokesman for the festival said it “prides itself on its accessible and welcoming approach to audiences seeking to learn more and understand better the big economic, financial and geopolitical issues of the day”.
There will be more than 60 speakers and hosts appearing in 65 events across the city discussing everything from the Middle East, interest rates and inflation, property, investment, football, Argentina, “too much testosterone in economics”, China and climate change.
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The panel talks, hosted by comedians, will take place at venues across the city, including the back rooms of pubs, in theatres, and even a brewery.
Others panel events over the course of the festival include Stephanie Kelton and Isabella Weber in a show called Show Me the Money, while comedian Dylan Moran will host a panel on Ukraine with Kyiv native Alexander Kabanovsky.
Elsewhere, Ross O’Carroll Kelly of The Irish Times will give a talk on property, while Linda Yueh will speak about her new book on economic crashes.
Other speakers include: US-Serbian economist Branco Milanovic; Lebanese economist Carole Nakhle; CNBC anchor Joumanna Bercetche; former CEO of Ryanair Michael Cawley; former football manager Roddy Collins on the economics of the game; blogger Noah Smith; and Financial Times journalist Soumaya Keynes.
The festival will be presided over by founder and economist David McWilliams.
