Go we must. Stay we can't. Ireland has to move forward, but what are the prospects for Ireland in the new year?
If – and it is a big if – parts of the world economy recover and begin to grow again, then what can Ireland expect from 2011? Where will the recovery come, if it comes at all?
There are signs of weakness in the global economic recovery and any slide into a global recession would be a disaster for the Irish economy, as the IMF acknowledges.
Here are six key themes surrounding Ireland's prospect for recovery in the next 12 months.