Major blaze hits Smurfit Kappa packaging plant in UK
Smurfit Kappa has resumed some operations at a packaging plant in the UK after a large fire ripped through the facility overnight, the local fire service said. West Midlands Fire Service said more than 100 firefighters had made progress containing the blaze that they were alerted to yesterday evening. It said there were no reports […]
Govt not considering price caps as inflation rises to 7.8%
The Minister for Finance has said he is not considering the introduction of price caps to deal with soaring inflation. Paschal Donohoe was speaking after the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said that annual rate of inflation rose to 7.8% in May. This is the highest rate in 38 years, and up from 7% in April. […]
Oil prices slip, but still close to three month highs
Oil prices slipped today but remained within touching distance of three-month highs as fears over new Covid-19 lockdown measures in Shanghai outweighed solid demand for fuels in the United States, the world’s top consumer. Brent crude futures for August were down 77 cents, or 0.6%, at $122.30 a barrel as of 0448 GMT after a […]
Cheque payments hit new quarterly low in Q1 at 4.5 million – BPFI
Around 4.5 million cheque payments were made in the first quarter of 2022, according to the latest Payments Monitor from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland. While the figures is a new quarterly low for cheque volumes, it appears high in the age of digital banking. Gillian Byrne, Head of Payments, BPFI agrees that, “4.5 million […]
European shares fall ahead of ECB decision
European shares slipped today ahead of the European Central Bank’s meeting later in the day, with investors awaiting clues on the central bank’s policy tightening plans. The ECB will announce its decision just before 1pm, followed by a press conference this afternoon. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5% by 0709 GMT. The index is […]
Around 25% of eir customers to be hit by price hikes
Telecoms company eir has said around 25% of its customers will be impacted by price hikes from August. The changes in fees will impact households and small to medium sized businesses using the company’s landline, broadband, TV and mobile services. eir said current customers will see a €5 increase to their bills per month. “eir […]
Price shock: Why car prices are being driven higher
The cost of everyday items is continuing to rise, with a recent estimate from the Central Statistics Office suggesting consumer prices were 8.2% in the year to the end of May. That translates into higher costs at the shopping tills, leaving many households with less money at the end of the week – and forcing […]
Fuels for Ireland urges new approach to tax on fuel
The fuels industry has said that the Government needs to look at the overall approach to taxation on fuel because the argument that increasing fuel taxes results in decreased demand “just doesn’t follow.” The chief executive of Fuels for Ireland said despite the excise duty cut on petrol and diesel earlier this year, users are […]
‘I don’t know who can afford €4,500 for childcare’
Cliona, a mother of three, was recently quoted €4,500 a month for childcare. She simply cannot afford it. “I don’t know who can afford €4,500 a month and pay a mortgage and have any kind of a life, and put food on the table,” she told Prime Time. “I don’t know anyone who could do […]
Remote workers to get free access to local digital hubs
The Government is announcing a series of new initiatives to support remote working. A voucher scheme will give remote workers free access to local digital hubs and provide at least 10,000 hot desk facilities free of charge to existing hub users and those availing of the facilities for the first time. The scheme will initially […]
Building input price rises could negate easing in property price growth – BPFI
An increase in the supply of housing may be contributing to an easing in the pace of growth in property prices, an analysis from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland shows. However, it warns that any easing in price growth may be offset by cost pressures in the construction sector, which will likely have a […]
Coffee cup levy ‘sends wrong message’ – retail group
A proposed 20 cent levy on single-use coffee cups “sends the wrong message on sustainability” and the Government needs to rethink its strategy, according to a body representing the retail industry in Ireland. The measure was announced earlier this year by the Government as part of the Circular Economy Bill, which is aimed at reducing […]
Ireland among countries in four-day working week trial
Ireland is among a number of countries taking part in a worldwide initiative trialling a four-day week with no loss of pay. More than 3,000 workers at 70 companies will begin a four-day week with no loss of pay in a trial lasting six months in Britain. The UK experiment is running alongside similar, smaller […]
Inflation hitting lower income households harder – CSO
New research from the Central Statistics Office shows that in March households with the lowest incomes experienced higher inflation, up to 7.6% compared to the average rate of 6.7%. Those in the highest income category had annual estimated inflation of 6.1%, the CSO added. The rate of inflation stood at 6.7% in March and rose […]
Donohoe: Ireland, US, EU at co-operation ‘high point’ on tax
Minster for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said Ireland, the US and the EU are at a “high point” of economic co-operation, particularly over the issue of corporation tax. Speaking in Washington after a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Mr Donohoe said he expected the 15% Minimum Corporation Tax Rate will be made law […]
Services growth slows for second month in a row – PMI
More than a year of rapid growth in Ireland’s services sector moderated slightly for the second successive month in May as selling prices and input costs remained close to record highs, a survey showed today. The AIB S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 60.2 from 61.7 in March. But the index stayed above […]
Unemployment rate returns to pre-Covid level of 4.7% – CSO
The country’s unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in May from 4.8% in April to return to the level it stood at before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, new figures from the Central Statistics Office showed today. The last time the unemployment rate was lower than 4.7% was in November 2006, towards the end of the “Celtic […]
Construction output falls by 2.4% in Quarter 1
The volume of construction production dropped by 2.4% in the first three months of the year, compared to the final quarter of last year, new data from the CSO shows. This is despite widespread intense activity in the sector as it attempts to catch up from delays caused by the pandemic and ramp up the […]