The Guaranteed Irish organisation is, this Christmas, urging people to Buy Irish. In its "Shop for Ireland" campaign, it states that for every extra 4 Euro per week spent on Irish-made goods, 6,000 new Irish jobs are created.
Shops selling Christmas gifts are stocking their shelves high with imported soaps, shampoos, cosmetics and jewellery. But stop for a moment and think about the craftmen and women who produce top quality Irish-made gifts in these categories. They are on the knife-edge of survival at the moment.
Shouldn't we review our "brand loyalty" to the big international brands. We buy them out of habit now. Wouldn't it be better for Ireland (and long term for each of us indirectly) to favour the smaller Irish producers instead? Can we do that?