The economy has made giant leaps forward in recent years and its success is clearly evident in the thousands of new cars on the roads and the colossal cranes which fill the skyline.
Another sign of this economic vigour is the dazzling array of business courses now available at third level.
Commercial courses were once about teaching aspiring bookkeepers how to mind the shillings and pence before embarking on their relatively mundane careers.
But now there is arguably more variety and choice in this area than any other. Because of space constraints one cannot do justice to the range of business courses available, but below are some pointers.
Accountancy
Accountancy is always a popular choice because even in recessionary times accountants seem to find work. And because of the high number of courses, points levels tend to be reasonable.
Many of the courses are run by private colleges but there are plenty within the CAO system. One of the big decisions you have to make is how long you want to study accountancy. The certificate and diploma courses usually run over two years, with degrees over three.
Another big decision you have to face is what branch of accountancy you want to concentrate on (management, chartered or certified accountancy, etc). The most important thing you can do is consult people already in the profession who can tell you what each area involves.
To practise accountancy, you need to be registered with one of the six professional bodies. To do this you have to sit their exams, which can be onerous and time-consuming. You can get exemptions from parts of these exams by taking certain third-level courses.
General business courses
According to the Irish Bankers' Federation there are about 31,000 people now working in its industry. Spread among the 31,000 is a myriad of careers, from call-centre operatives to investment managers.
There are few specific banking courses within the CAO - most people enter the area via a general business qualification.
You can still enter banking without going to third level. The main job is bank assistant and large players such as Bank of Ireland and AIB require you to have at least two honours in higher-level papers.
But the pay can be low in these posts and the promotional opportunities limited. If you want to advance you will probably have to get further qualifications.
Most general business degrees cover the basic elements of a business education. You will normally specialise later - year three for degrees and year two for certificates and diplomas. Make sure your course offers a wide selection of special subjects.
Business and computers
Business and computers now go hand-in-hand and many colleges have realised this.
For example, UCC now offers a four-year degree in business information systems (CK203). This teaches students basic business principles such as accounting, economics and statistics, but also management information systems.
Graduates are expected to be able to design and maintain computer networks, but are also versed in consulting and insurance. One of the sweeteners on this course is some students get a work-experience jaunt with a US-based company.
Some academics warn about being obsessed with the short-term skills requirements of the computer industry.
Marketing
Hugely popular with students because of its increasing importance to corporations, there are now additional elements to some of these courses.
Waterford IT has 1,730 students in its business department and offers a new course this year, the BA in marketing (WD09). It was not on the original CAO list, but is on the supplementary list.
It is a very focused course, according to Dr Tom O'Toole, head of the department of management and organisation. "It is based on a strong e-business platform." Dr O'Toole advises students that they need to be careful if they are going to choose a highly "focused" course. "I recommend that students do the more general business studies courses if they're not sure about what they want, but know they want to work in business."
Law: In Tuesday's column it was stated that to do a law degree with French, German or another language, you needed to have "at least a C1 at ordinary level". This should have read a C1 at higher level. (additional research by Olivia Kelly)