UK Inflation Slows in October, Offering Some Relief for Policymakers
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that consumer price inflation in the UK eased to 3.6 percent in October, down from 3.8 percent in September. This marks the first decline since May and provides a modest boost for both the government and the Bank of England, which had anticipated a slowdown. The […]
Consumers Show Strong Preference for .ie Retailers and Website-Based Shopping
New research suggests that Irish consumers continue to place significant trust in established websites when shopping online. The survey, carried out by Core Research on behalf of .ie, found that three in four people prefer to make purchases through traditional websites rather than social media platforms. Almost three in five respondents also said they were […]
Bank of England Expected to Begin Rate Cuts in December
A new survey of economists suggests that the Bank of England is likely to reduce interest rates in December, followed by another cut early next year. This marks a shift from expectations only a month ago, when many analysts believed rates would remain unchanged for the rest of 2025. The December decision will come shortly […]
Public Consultation Opens on the Right to Request Remote Working
The Government has begun a public consultation inviting individuals, employers and interested organisations to share their views on how the right to request remote working is functioning in practice. The current framework, which took effect in March 2024, places a clear obligation on both employers and employees to follow a code of practice issued by […]
EU Forecast Signals Exceptional Irish Growth in 2025
The latest Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast from the European Commission points to a remarkable surge in Ireland’s economic performance next year. Gross domestic product is expected to expand by 10.7 percent in 2025, driven primarily by strong export activity recorded during the first half of the year. This sharp rise is expected to be short […]
Grocery Sales Strengthen as Food Price Inflation Eases
New industry data shows that grocery inflation in Ireland has slowed to 6.06 percent in the twelve weeks to 2 November, down from 6.6 percent in the previous period. Despite continued price pressures, overall take home grocery sales increased by 5.5 percent in the four weeks to early November, according to figures from Worldpanel by […]
ICCL Lodges Complaint Over European Commission’s Use of Generative AI
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has submitted a formal complaint to the European Ombudsman, raising concerns about the European Commission’s use of generative artificial intelligence in official documentation. The issue came to light after an access to documents request revealed that at least one hyperlink in a Commission response had been produced using OpenAI’s […]
Why Hiring Processes Now Involve So Many Rounds of Interviews
Many jobseekers are finding that recruitment has become a marathon rather than a sprint. Roles that carry any real responsibility or competitive salary often involve several stages of screening, from online tests and case studies to panel interviews and culture-fit meetings. Some of these steps focus on technical ability, others on personality and values, yet […]
Pension Auto Enrolment Deadline Approaches for Employers
The Government’s new auto enrolment system, My Future Fund, is due to begin on 1 January 2026, and employers are being urged to prepare now. The final chance to have eligible employees entered into an existing pension scheme is the November 2025 payroll. Anyone not already enrolled at that point will be automatically included in […]
EU to Remove Duty Exemption on Low-Value Parcels in Response to Surge in Chinese Imports
EU finance ministers have reached political agreement to abolish the long-standing customs duty exemption on low-value goods entering the bloc. At present, items worth less than €150 can be shipped directly to consumers across the EU without attracting import duties, a rule that has become increasingly exploited by high-volume retail platforms such as Temu and […]
Government Defends Decision to Drop Annual Housing Targets in New National Plan
The Government has moved to defend its decision to remove annual delivery targets from its latest housing strategy, arguing that rigid yearly numbers can distract from long-term progress. Minister for Housing James Browne said that data on housing completions will still be published each year, but that fixed annual benchmarks are not always the most […]
Annual Inflation Reaches 19-Month High as Consumer Prices Continue to Rise
Ireland’s annual inflation rate climbed to 2.9% in October, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office. This marks the highest annual reading since March and represents a slight rise from the 2.7% recorded in September. The CSO figures show that the strongest upward pressure came from Education costs, which increased by 8.4% over […]
Local Property Tax Filing Window Closes After Significant Last-Minute Activity
The filing window for the latest Local Property Tax cycle has now closed, following a surge in activity from homeowners eager to update their property valuations on time. Revenue reported a sharp increase in submissions on the final day, with more than 18,000 returns completed by midday ahead of today’s 5.30pm cut-off. Homeowners were required […]
Government’s New National Housing Plan Sparks Mixed Reactions
The Government is preparing to unveil its latest National Housing Plan, a strategy that aims to reshape Ireland’s housing landscape over the next six years. Ministers have described the initiative as an unprecedented investment in housing, although opposition figures remain sceptical about its potential impact. The plan sets out an ambition to deliver 300,000 homes […]
US Government Shutdown Ends Following Major Funding Agreement
The United States has brought an end to the longest federal government shutdown in its history after President Donald Trump approved a new funding bill. The legislation passed through the House of Representatives with a narrow majority and followed a week of tense political negotiations in Washington. The measure reinstates funding for key federal programmes, […]
Corporation tax makes up quarter of Ireland’s tax revenue
The surge in corporation tax over recent years means that it now makes up over a quarter of Ireland’s total tax revenue, according to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. The organisation said about three quarters of corporation tax is paid by large US multinationals making Ireland’s public finances particularly exposed to changes in US policies. […]
Once more with feeling: Here comes the latest housing plan
The Government will launch its housing plan tomorrow. It will be the fourth in 12 years. The first, called the Social Housing Strategy, was launched by then minister for the environment Alan Kelly in 2014 when the Labour Party was in coalition with Fine Gael. That was followed by Rebuilding Ireland under the then minister […]
Average rents up 4.3% in year to September – Daft report
Market rents in the year to September have risen by 4.3%, according to the latest rental report by Daft.ie. In the third quarter of this year market rents went up by an average of 1.7% , the eighteenth consecutive quarter of rising rents. This means they are now one third higher than their pre-covid levels, […]