Third month of decline in consumer sentiment – Credit Union index
There was a marginal fall in consumer sentiment for a third month running in April, the latest consumer sentiment index from the Credit Union has found. It follows on from four months of gains in sentiment in the latter part of 2023 and into January of this year as inflation abated and talk of interest […]
New home completions down 12% in first quarter of 2024 – CSO
There was a 12.1% fall in the number of new home completions in the first quarter of this year, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office. The CSO reported a total of 5,841 new dwelling completions between the months of January, February and March of this year; down from 6,647 in the first […]
Ireland ranks second in Europe for remote work opportunities
Ireland has one of the highest shares of hybrid and remote job postings in Europe, according to the professional network LinkedIn. The analysis shows how working habits have changed in Ireland in the past four years, with the appetite from professionals for hybrid and remote work remaining high despite business leaders continuing to encourage workers […]
Diversity report shows more women in senior management roles
A survey of businesses that signed up to a pledge to improve diversity and inclusion in their workplaces has found higher levels of female participation at senior and executive levels compared to the national average. The ‘Elevate Report’ from Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) found 40% female representation at senior and executive roles, higher […]
Over 53,000 businesses still using Revenue’s Tax Debt Warehousing scheme
The outstanding debt owned by businesses that availed of Revenue’s debt warehousing scheme stood at €1.58 billion this week, according to the tax commissioners in their annual report for 2023. The scheme was introduced to assist businesses that experienced cash-flow and trading difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was announced earlier this year that the […]
Banks need to do more for borrowers in early mortgage arrears – Central Bank
A Central Bank review of the supports that are in place for borrowers experiencing early mortgage arrears has found they need to be improved. The analysis looked at the effectiveness of the system those experiencing difficulty must navigate, focusing in particular on the supports, resources and service levels that exist to assist consumers in financial […]
Consumers want to make ‘green’ choices but cost dominates – survey
Consumers want to make sustainable choices but cost and other practicalities take priority, new research shows. The survey of 1,000 people from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) looks at the role sustainability plays for consumers making decisions on a number of products. When asked about the factors that influence their decision when buying a […]
Covid supports stabilised labour market but inequality persists – study
Employment and social welfare supports during the Covid pandemic helped to stabilise the labour market but inequalities persist, according to a new study from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). The research explored the equality impact of the pandemic on the labour market, comparing the […]
European Parliament to vote on money laundering law
New laws to tackle money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions evasion are due to be voted on by the European Parliament. The proposed legislation would place increased surveillance on professional football clubs and individuals worth more than €50 million, excluding their main home. A new anti-money laundering authority will also be established. The Government had […]
Wholesale electricity prices 40% lower in March on last year
New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that wholesale electricity were 40.3% lower in March of this year compared to the same time last year. The CSO said that wholesale electricity prices in March 2024 were also 76.6% lower than in August 2022 when prices were at their highest since the CSO began looking […]
ECB governors stick to plan for multiple rate cuts despite global headwinds
European Central Bank officials are sticking to plans to cut interest rates multiple times this year, even as higher US inflation delays a pivot to looser policy by the US Federal Reserve and tensions in the Middle East keep oil prices high. Investors are rethinking what they expected to be a global easing cycle after […]
Waiver on development levies to be extended – Harris
Taoiseach Simon Harris said today there is capacity to build 60,000 homes a year and there is a need to continue the supply of new homes. Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, he said that almost 33,000 home were completed last year. “I said we would build 250,000 more houses between 2025 and 2030. And […]
‘Green’ job postings jump 93%, but jobseekers wary
So-called ‘green’ job postings in Ireland are up over 90% since 2019, new data shows. The research from hiring platform Indeed highlights the growing demand for such roles, with sustainability now a top priority for many businesses. But the data suggests that companies are struggling to recruit for these positions, with searches by jobseekers down […]
ECB’s Lagarde says inflation more likely to ease but risks both way
Euro zone inflation is likely to decline further and the European Central Bank may cut interest rates if its long-standing price growth criteria are met, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today. “At the same time, the Governing Council is not pre-committing to a particular rate path,” Lagarde said, repeating the bank’s most recent guidance. “Risks […]
Government recorded surplus of €8.3 billion last year – CSO
New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the general government balance showed a surplus of €8.3 billion or 1.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023. This marked a slight decrease on the record surplus of €8.6 billion in 2022. The CSO said that total government revenue increased to €123.7 billion in 2023, […]
BPFI says SMEs face adjusting profit expectations as costs rise
Small and medium sized businesses will need to adjust their profit expectations in order to ensure the viability and continued growth of the sector, a new analysis has suggested. Publishing its latest SME Monitor, the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) also said that more strategic Government supports for small and medium sized firms will […]
Job vacancies continuing to fall
The level of job vacancies continued to fall in the first quarter of the year according to the latest ‘Jobs Index’ from hiring platform IrishJobs. Vacancies were down by 3% compared to the previous quarter and declined by 28% on a year-on-year basis. The quarterly drop was the lowest fall in six successive quarters which […]
Diesel & petrol prices hit highest level so far this year
The latest AA Ireland fuel price survey shows that petrol and diesel prices have hit their highest level so far this year. AA Ireland said that petrol and diesel prices have increased over the last few weeks after a fall was reported in March. Petrol prices rose to €1.81 a litre in April, while diesel […]