Doesn't Feel Like 2006

The latest forecasts for consumer spending from the Central Bank project total, nominal expenditure of €88.2 billion this year, and €85.6 billion in 2010. Well down from last year's €93.6 billion.

These levels are closer to 2006 than 2008, looking at the historical CSO data (see table 2 of pdf). Though it definitely doesn't feel like 2006 to anyone in marketing services right now ...